With the fall semester starting in three days, David was excited to get started on his college career. Freshmen weren't allowed to have a car on campus, so Friday Lloyd took David and all of his things down to the University in his pickup. Max and his dad helped David lug everything up to his room in the dorm and get settled in.

Max hadn't been on a university campus before. The number of good looking young guys boggled Max's brain; he had a difficult time acting like he didn't notice. He was relieved when David's move-in was finished and they went back to the Eyrie to join Dave and Joe for dinner. After dinner the five of them strolled through the campus to David's dorm, dropped him off, then strolled back to the Tower and up to their home on top.

Lloyd had noticed that throughout the day and evening Max had been quiet and withdrawn. He knew that Max idolized his older brother. Lloyd figured he was feeling down because David was leaving home, and figured that he would soon get over it. So he just let him be.

David spent the night in his new room in the dorm, but was up early to have breakfast Saturday morning up in the Eyrie with his dad and Max, before they left to head back home.

After breakfast Max hugged his uncles and his brother, picked up his and his dad's bags and waited by the elevator while his dad said goodbye. He hadn't said a word all morning. An hour into their drive back home Max still hadn't said anything. Lloyd studied his son who was slumped in the seat and staring out the window.

"You're awfully quiet, Son, are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, Dad. I'm fine," Max mumbled without looking at his father.

"You might feel better if you talk about whatever is bothering you."

"I might," Max agreed, but continued his silence as he stared out the window. Lloyd let the boy be, figuring he would talk when he was ready.

The trouble was that Max hadn't really identified and come to terms with whatever it was that had him down. He was coming of age. His hormones were raging throughout his body. Not only was he maturing into a young adult, he'd recently had a growth spurt that had sent his height up to five feet, eight inches. He was discovering that with his new growth, girls were beginning to pay attention to him, but he wasn't excited about it like his friends. He lay awake many a night wondering what was wrong with him. Why didn't he find them as attractive as they were finding him? Why was he getting a boner every time he looked at Jimmy, the guy that had always picked on him?

When Joe awoke Sunday morning, he was immediately aware that it was later than they usually woke up. Something was wrong. Dave was not cuddled up against him. Dave, in fact, was not even in the bed. Joe sat up and listened. He wasn't in the bathroom. Maybe he was in the kitchen.

He scrambled out of bed, relieved himself and then scurried into the livingroom. The room was empty so he went into the kitchen. It was obvious that Dave had been in there. A fresh pot of coffee and a mug set on the counter. There was a loaf of multi-grain bread, a container of Better than Butter spread and a jar of Mesquite honey sitting on the counter in front of the toaster, along with a spreading knife that still had a bit of honey on the blade.

Joe poured himself a cup of coffee and went back into the livingroom. He took note that there were only five of the six journals in the stack on the coffee table. He headed for the den where he assumed Dave must be. Nope. He called out and got no answer. In a quandary, he wandered back across the room to the French doors that opened onto the patio. "Ah ha!" he said, spying Dave in one of the big lounge chairs wrapped in a big warm comforter. In his lap lay the missing journal.

Dave was so immersed in reading that he didn't notice Joe stop in front of him. Joe stood there a moment, and then cleared his throat. "How long have you been up?" he asked.

Dave glanced up to see 'Little Joe' standing at about half mast. His eyes traveled on up Joe's torso. He grinned at his lover.

"Good morning, handsome. I've been up since about six. Watched the sunrise," he said, as he leaned forward and planted a big kiss right on 'Little Joe's' head, then sat back and watched Joe's beautiful cock stand at full attention begging for more.

"Somebody's really happy to see you this morning, Dave," Joe smirked, looking down at his now throbbing pole.

"Yeah? Like he doesn't do a 'Ten-hutt' every time I get close to him?"

"He loves ya, Dave, almost as much as I love you."

"I love you, too, Joe. You want me to take care of him?" Dave asked, motioning at Joe's rigid cock with his chin.

"Later....it's chilly out here. I think I'll go get into a hot shower. Wanna join me?" Joe briskly rubbed his bicep with his mug free hand.

"I'll share my blanket with you if you'll stay. Don't you want to know what I've discovered in this journal?"

Dave stood up, baring his nakedness. Joe embraced him giving him a chaste morning kiss, then took the comforter, laid it out on the chair and sat down and pulled Dave onto his lap, wrapping the blanket around both of them. He nuzzled Dave's neck, thoroughly enjoying Dave's skin against his own. "Okay, so tell me what you've discovered," he murmured.

Dave laid his head back exposing more of his neck to Joe. "Well, the rest of the first journal was mostly notes on how the war was going and a lot of introspective stuff, and a lot of speculation on how he could possibly get out of the marriage to Edith and still save his father. Oh, damn, that feels good, don't stop." He groaned with pleasure as Joe nibbled his neck.

"The second journal is still during the war....uhhh....mostly in the Pacific Theatre. Oh yeah, that's the spot." Dave laid his head to the side giving Joe easier access. "One interesting thing is that Buddy went from France to Hawaii. He had advanced to full Colonel by then. His last letter was about maybe becoming a career soldier. Will had been promoted to Captain."

"I wish I had time to read them with you," Joe murmured as he rubbed his hands over Dave's hairy chest grazing his nipples, "but I've got to be on the site today. They've started sheathing the building."

"Well," Dave stretched and turned over, forcing Joe into a prone position, "I think I might just book myself a sea voyage.... just sit on the sundeck and read the rest of the journals today."

Joe grinned, as he cupped Dave's furry buttocks, pulling Dave's hard cock against his own. Dave missed the mischievous smile as he undulated against Joe and nuzzled his right nipple.

"You be sure to send me post cards from every port. You know I'll miss you every second while you're gone, don't you?"

Dave sat up and indignantly asked, "You'd just let me go off like tha....t without any protest?" The comforter fell away.

"Well--, sure if that's what you want to do, Dave." Joe tried to pull Dave back down on his chest. "You were serious about going, weren't you?" Joe asked in pretended innocence. He loved getting Dave's ire up. He was just so damned cute when he was riled.

"Of course not. I was joking."

"Well, I was joking about the postcards, but I was serious about missing you if you were to go off somewhere without me." Joe's voice soothed, as he caressed Dave's sides.

"Joe, you know damn well I wouldn't go off without you." Dave lay back down and snuggled.

"I know that, Babe," Joe murmured in Dave's ear as he licked his earlobe like a cat.

It dawned on Dave that Joe was just yanking his chain. He looked up at him. "Dammit, Joe, I wish you wouldn't tease me like that. I never win."

"Hey, you won me. What more do you want?"

Dave gave up with a contented sigh. "Nothing, my love. You're all I want or need." He ground his crotch against Joe's to emphasize the point and sat back up. The chill was getting to his backside. "Let's go get in that hot shower you were talking about."

School started and Max was even more depressed. He started avoiding his friends. The only time he felt better about himself was when he was in his room with his mind locked into a fantasy while he masturbated. Afterward he would fall back into his funk, wondering what was wrong, why was he feeling this way?

And then when Jimmy walked past him, naked, in the dressing room and caught him staring at his big half hard cock the truth had hit him right between the eyes. Max started getting a boner. Jimmy was hung like a horse and liked to show off, and then put down every guy that stared at his long dong.

"Keep your eyes to your self, Faggot," Jimmy muttered.

Max realized the truth at that moment. He was a faggot. He had heard this guy loudly call nearly everyone around him the same name. He wondered why he'd said it so only he could hear it. Did he really suspect him? Did Jimmy suspect that guys turned him on.... especially Jimmy himself? Furiously blushing, he hurried to get dressed and got out of the gym.

He stood blinking in the blinding September sunlight wondering what to do. The only one he felt he could talk to about most things was his mom and she was still in California with Gary, but this was something he would never be able to discuss with her anyway. David might be okay to talk to about this, but he was living in a dorm down at the University. The thought of talking to his dad scared him - filled him with dread. Even though his dad had recently told Max and his brothers that being prejudiced against gays was unacceptable, Max wasn't certain that his dad would accept his own son being a queer. He'd heard his dad use that word so many times he couldn't accept that he'd really changed. Sure his dad had made up with Uncle Dave, but.... UNCLE DAVE. He was the answer. He could talk to him. He was gay, too. He would be understanding and accepting.

Joe had been gone for about three hours. Dave couldn't stand not sharing with Joe what he had learned from the journals in that time. He picked up the phone and called Joe's cell. It rang, but Joe didn't answer. Finally a recorded voice came on.

"The party you are trying to contact is either away from the phone or out of range. Please try your call later."

Dave disconnected and wondered where Joe could have gotten to. Then he thought that maybe he had dialed a wrong number. Without checking the number he had previously called, he redialed. It rang four times.

"This is Mr. Paolini's phone. He is up on top. I am Tom Duncan. Can I take a message?" A gravelly voice answered.

It threw Dave off having expected Joe's voice. "Aaah --- yes, please have him call Mr. Way at his convenience."

"Sure thing, Dave. I'll tell him."

The phone clicked off as Dave stood there in shock. Here he was trying to play it straight for Joe's sake, yet the man had known who he was. This was something that the two of them had never discussed. He set the phone down and wandered into the kitchen to make himself a fresh cup of coffee.

Joe meant so much in his life now. Dave thought about how much his life had changed in just the little time they'd been together. He was hardly involved in the bookstore anymore. Once he really thought about it, he realized that he'd given up his house without a second thought and had moved in with this man he really knew very little about. And here a stranger, that Joe worked with, knew of Dave by his first name.

As his mind wandered, he knew that he'd never been happier than he was now. Although the thought of all the wealth that had been dropped in his lap really filled him with anxiety. He knew that he was going to have to make more big changes in his life very quickly because of all that money.

Mulling over the events that had occurred recently, he realized that if he was going to have any peace of mind he was going to have to acquire more security than just guards on the desk. As long as they were inside the Tower they were fairly safe. But Joe was downtown all by himself; if anyone knew that they were partners he could be vulnerable to being taken for ransom. And David, his nephew, living on campus. As he thought about it, he wondered how safe his mother and his sister and her family up north were. Anyone of them could be nabbed so easily.

Yes, changes were going to have to be made and made quickly. Dave knew nothing about how to get what he needed security-wise. And then it dawned on him that Johnny might know what to do.

He poured himself a cup of the fresh brew and went back into the living room. Grabbing up the phone, he took it and his coffee out on the patio. He speed-dialed Johnny's cell phone.

"Paolini."

Dave skipped all the niceties.

"Johnny, this is Dave. I was wondering if you could come over. I need to discuss how to set up security for us."

"What do you mean, Dave?"

"Think about it Johnny, I've already been kidnapped and held for ransom, even though the idiot meant to take Joe. And Joe is downtown now, by himself. He could be as easy a target as I was."

"Damn, Dave, I hadn't thought about that. Listen, Paul and I are in the vicinity and we are due a break. What do you say to fixing us a fresh pot of coffee and we'll come right up and discuss this."

"Thanks, Johnny. Do you need donuts, too?"

"That's not nice, Dave. You are profiling. Few of us cops really eat those things. They're deadly."

"I'm sorry. I never even thought about it. Anyway, I really appreciate this."

It wasn't fifteen minutes before Johnny and Paul were announced. Dave had a fresh pot of coffee waiting for them. After greeting them, Dave asked if they would like to sit out on the patio.

"Nah, this is serious stuff, let's sit at the kitchen table," Paul said.

Dave had gotten out a note pad and a pen. The three men got down to a serious discussion about personal security. As they talked, Dave had an idea growing in his head.

"Paul, not to get off the subject, but I would like to ask you a personal question. How long until you are eligible for retirement?"

Paul considered a few moments.

"Seven years and a few months. Why?"

"How much will you get on retirement?"

"Not a lot, but enough to live on comfortably."

"Have you ever considered leaving the force?"

"No....what are you getting at, Dave?"

"If you had lots of money, I mean like - oh, five million dollars would you stay with the police?"

"Are you offering me a bribe to quit?"

"No, Paul, not at all, but I would like to hire you as my head of security. It's obvious that I'm going to have a large security force. And as my employee you could accept the reward I would have liked to have given you when I was rescued from that kidnapper."

Johnny had quietly listened to the conversation. For several years Johnny had listened to Paul talk about the day he could retire and do something else. He grinned and raised his eyebrows at Paul as Paul stared at him.

Paul was quiet as he thought about it. For a couple of minutes Dave and Johnny sat and watched the wheels turning in his head. And then he looked up at Dave and grinned. "When do I start, Boss?"

Dave smiled at him and turned to Johnny. "Johnny, you've already been given your reward, but the same offer goes to you."

"Have you discussed this with Joe, Dave?" Paul asked.

"You know I haven't. We just started discussing this a few minutes ago."

"Okay, if Joe is agreeable, I will accept the offer. I've got several ideas I would like to implement immediately."

"Well, go ahead and tender you resignation. You know Joe will go for it."

"Talk to him first and then call me," Paul insisted.

Johnny was driving as they headed back to the precinct. Paul had been quiet ever since they had left the Eyrie. Johnny glanced over at him.

"Big decision, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is."

Paul stared out the side window. He turned and looked at Johnny. "What did Dave mean when he said you had already received your reward? Damn it, Johnny, don't you know you could go to prison for accepting money like that?"

"Slow down, Man. Dave didn't give me any reward. He and Joe gave Tim ten million dollars. Tim, being my mate, opened a joint account for the two of us."

Paul didn't respond as he thought about how much ten million dollars was. It was beyond his comprehension. He wondered just how much Dave had inherited. To have given Tim and Johnny that much meant that it was probably just a drop in the bucket, no wonder Dave was running scared. He thought about someone nabbing Joe to get their hands on the money. With that thought, Paul knew he'd made the right decision. He felt no more doubts. Yes, he would accept Dave's offer. If he could help prevent any harm coming to Joe or Dave, he would do it.

He glanced up at Johnny. Johnny caught the movement out of the side of his eye. He turned his head and looked at Paul who was again staring out the windshield.

"I'm really going to do it, Johnny. Joe's been one of my closest friends all of my life. If I can keep him from harm then it is my responsibility to do so."

"My thoughts exactly. Joe's always been a friend to me as well as being my brother."

They were both caught up in their own thoughts for a few blocks.

"Of course, the money does make it a much easier decision, doesn't it?" Paul pointed out with a grin.

"Hey, not having to worry about making a living will let us concentrate on what is important; Dave and Joe's security."

In the meantime, while Dave waited for Joe to return his call, he called Clyde and told him what he was doing. Clyde immediately suggested that he hire an accounting firm separate from the one that presently handled the Way fortune to handle all business concerns not involving investments. He gave Dave a list of reliable firms. Dave listened, but didn't write down any names. When Clyde got through, Dave asked.

"And which one would you recommend over all the others, Clyde, and why?"

"They are all good reliable firms, Dave."

"I am sure they are, but I have a feeling that you prefer one over all the others."

"Alright, Dave, I'd use the Hansen Brothers. I went to school with Ralph, the older brother, and I'd trust him with my life - and my money."

"That's good enough for me. Would you set up an appointment for me? Of course, I want you to be there to see that I don't miss anything. I'm really an amateur at this money thing, you know."

Dave paced the floor waiting for Joe to call. Just as he decided to call him again the phone rang. Dave rushed across the room and picked it up.

"Hello?" he said, praying that it would be Joe.

"Hey, Babe, sorry I forgot to take my phone with me. Everything okay?"

"How soon are you coming home, Joe?"

"I'm on my way to my car now. Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I just miss you and want you home with me. I have so much to tell you."

"So tell me."

"When you get home is soon enough. It will wait."

Dave could hear him get into his car and start it.

"Okay, Sweetheart, I'll see you in about fifteen to twenty minutes."

Dave listened to the silence on the phone for several moments before setting it back in its holder. God! He was getting paranoid. He realized that nothing had changed, except his concept of things. He paced back and forth in front of the elevator. Looking at his watch, he realized it would probably be a good fifteen minutes before Joe got home. He picked up the journal he'd been reading when he'd decided to call Joe earlier. He kept glancing at his watch as he tried to concentrate on what he was reading. Finally, he laid the book down and walked out to the parapet. He leaned against the wall and watched the street below for Joe's car to appear.

As he watched, he rested his chin on his folded arms on top of the wall, he thought about the night that Joe had come into his life. He recalled how he had been so fascinated by Joe's arm and hand. The moment he first looked into Joe's golden eyes, he had fallen in love with Joe. He chuckled to himself about how he had fought against it. Well, it hadn't been too much of a struggle, especially after learning that Joe's eyes only changed colors when he gazed at him and him alone. Damn, that made him feel so special.

A flash of red and chrome below on the street caught his eye and brought him out of his revery. He hastily walked to the elevator and stepped in. He stopped the door from opening when it reached the ground floor. Tim was on the desk at this hour so Dave knew it would be a couple of minutes before Joe got to the elevator. He waited impatiently.

Joe stopped at the desk to chat a moment with his new brother-in-law. As Joe headed for the elevator Tim stopped him.

"Joe, I know it's supposed to be a surprise, but I don't want you to have heart failure on my shift. Dave's waiting inside the elevator for you. Act surprised."

Joe winked at him and turned his back to the elevator door as it opened,

"I'll talk to you later, Tim." He called to Tim as he stepped backwards into Dave's waiting arms. Joe let out a loud yelp as the door closed, dropped his briefcase and collapsed onto Dave.

Dave struggled to keep Joe from sliding to the floor.

"Joe? Joe, are you okay?" Dave cried out. "I didn't mean to scare you, I just wanted to surprise you. Joe, are you all right?"

Joe did his best not to snicker, but his body shaking with suppressed laughter gave the joke away. Dave let go and let him fall to the floor.

"Tim told you, didn't he?"

Joe laughed out loud as he pulled Dave down on top of him. "God, I love you, Babe," he said as he covered Dave's face with kisses. At first Dave tried to resist, but he was so joyous to see the love of his life that he was quickly returning the kisses. The door opened into the Eyrie and they rolled out onto the floor.

Tim sat at the desk in the lobby watching the security television screen, laughing at the antics of two of his favorite people in the world. As they rolled out of the elevator, the door slid closed shutting off his view. He grinned in anticipation of telling Johnny about it.

The terrazzo floor was cold and hard. Joe pulled Dave to his feet and led him into the bedroom where they continued their ravishment of each other.

The two men had showered, dressed and were lounging in the den. Dave had made Martinis. He filled two glasses and skewered three olives into one and handed it to Joe. He sat down and intertwined his feet with Joe's.

"Okay, now if you don't start telling me what you have been doing today and what you have learned in the journals I'm going to sit on you." Joe said, as he bit a huge green olive in two.

Dave grinned and Joe raised an eyebrow as he curled and uncurled his forefinger.

"Joe you know that if you're tickling me, I can't stay hard enough for you to sit on me."

"Tell me, you Horndog," Joe growled.

"Well, I hired myself a chief of security today."

"What are you talking about?"

"Joe, with this fortune in our possession we are vulnerable to all kinds of things. As soon as he can quit his job and take the necessary training to be your personal bodyguard. Johnny is coming to work for us, too. I can't stand the thought of someone nabbing you like that idiot did me. Next time we may not be so lucky."

Joe nodded in agreement.

"But, why Johnny?"

"Why not Johnny? He has a black belt in karate. He is a weapons expert. He has seven years experience with the police force. Plus, he worships the ground his big brother walks on. Who better to protect you?"

"Good point. You've really put some thought into this, haven't you?"

Dave nodded.

"So aren't you going to ask me who I hired as Chief?"

"Let me guess." Joe put his fore fingertip to his temple and frowned like he was seriously thinking. "Aaaah, Paul Hansen?"

"They told you." Dave frowned.

"No. It was just a logical guess. I mean, how many more law enforcement officers do you know?"

"So... you approve of all this?"

"Of course, Dave. I think it's a very smart move on your part."

"Thanks, Babe."

"So what did you learn about Will Way and his lovely wife today?"

"Well, I got impatient and moved forward to the time when Bill was born, and then went back a few months."

"And--?" Joe prompted.

"Well, Will found out that Edith was pregnant. And he still, all these years later, had never touched her. So Will hired an investigator and found out that for all the years since they were married, she had clandestinely been seeing Buddy every chance she got. After the Korean war he was based in Virginia for several years. She had purchased a cottage on the outskirts of D.C. where they would meet. Buddy was married with three kids, yet he carried on this affair with Edith until she was about six months pregnant. When she couldn't hide it from him anymore, he broke off the relationship for fear that his wife would find out about it. Well, Edith's love child was too far advanced to have an abortion. She went completely off the deep end. When the baby was born Edith would have nothing to do with the child. She even claimed he was the spawn of the devil. Will took the baby to a wet nurse. And when he was weaned, he found a loving nanny to take care of him. The child had been born in wedlock so the doctors, without consulting him, had put on the birth certificate that Will was the father. So Will, with the help of nannies, raised Bill. He states that no child deserved not to be loved."

"Is that how he stated it?" Joe arched an eyebrow as he interrupted.

"Something like that, why?"

"I just wondered if there was another person in the world that used double negatives like you do."

"Oh." Dave ignored the jibe and continued. "You know that photograph on Edith's desk of Buddy as a young man? I couldn't figure out who he reminded me of. It was Bill. Buddy was Bill's biological father.

"And Edith ruined Buddy. She told his wife about their affair. His wife divorced him. His military career was done in. He died about three years later. Will speculated that it was suicide. Funny thing was that Will and Buddy remained friends until Buddy's death."

They sipped their martinis and thought about what the journals had revealed. Dave broke the revery.

"Joe, who is Tom Duncan? And why did he answer your cell phone?"

Joe studied Dave a moment wondering what was going on in his head.

"Tom? He's the site foreman. He was in the office. He probably answered my phone because it was ringing."

"Oh."

Dave sipped his drink.

"How long have you known him?"

"Oh, about all my life. His family lived down the street. We grew up together. Paul, Tom, and I were like the Three Musketeers. Why're you interested in Tom?"

"I'm not really interested in him. It's just that we haven't been together for very long and I don't know a whole lot about you."

"You know the essentials, Dave. You've met my family. You know I'll tell you anything you want to know. Time will fill it all in for you."

"Yeah, I suppose," he said, reaching over to the cocktail table and picking up the shaker. He offered to refill Joe's glass.

Joe held up his glass to show that it was still nearly full and shook his head. Dave refilled his own, picked up the bowl of giant green olives and offered it to Joe, who speared two of them onto his sterling cocktail pick. He dipped them into the gin and lifted them to his lips and bit the first one in half. He studied Dave as he chewed. "You know if it wasn't for the olives there would be no point in having a martini," he said.

Dave swirled his empty pick in his drink; his eyes downcast. He smiled at Joe's comment - and his consumption of olives. He looked up to stare into Joe's eyes, feeling like he could drown in their liquid gold.

"In all the years I lived with Bill, I only met his father twice. I never met his mother until Will's funeral. Bill hardly ever talked about his past, his youth, or growing-up. I thought for years that Edith was dead. Yesterday was the first time I ever set foot in the Way mansion. And I didn't even know it existed until Bill's death. I found out when his will was read."

"Sounds like you already know more about me."

"Strange isn't it?"

"Not really Dave. It seems to me Bill had a very difficult and cold life before he met you. He obviously thought that all of it was not important. And knowing what little I do about him, I would tend to agree. All that was important to him was you, and the life the two of you were making together."

"Yes, you're right. You know, maybe it was best for him that he never learned that Buddy was his biological father."

There was another passage of quiet. Joe and Dave were comfortable with each other. They felt no need to fill the silence with words. Dave was the first to break it with a question.

"So... Tom knows about me? About Us?"

"Yes, Dave, Tom was the first person I told about the night I found you in the bar. All the important things in our lives we have always shared with each other. He was the first one I told that I was gay. I was the first one he told when he got engaged. I was his best man at his wedding. I am the godfather of his two boys. The younger one is named after me."

Dave thought for a minute. He moved his legs off of the sofa and sat up.

"So why haven't I heard about Tom before? I mean I have been introduced to several of your other friends. We have a party coming up and he's not on the guest list. Is he someone I should be worrying about? Be jealous of?"

Joe set his drink down, scooted to Dave's end of the sofa and wrapped his arms around him. "Tom is straight and has a wife and two kids. Dave, I promise you I will never give you any reason to be jealous. There is no reason now. Come down to the site with me tomorrow, and I'll introduce you to him and the rest of my crew."

Dave laid his head on Joe's chest.

"Why are you feeling insecure, Babe?" Joe murmured into Dave's ear.

"I don't know. I was thinking about Bill and me. Our relationship. It was always steady, rock firm, dependable. But it was never passionate. You know? We loved each other. We had good sex. But there was never any really strong overwhelming feelings. I don't think we ever even had a strong disagreement."

Dave listened to the beat of Joe's heart. He squeezed him hard and sat up where he could look at him.

"But with you, Joe, my feelings are so overwhelming that they scare me sometimes. The way I feel when we fuck, whether it's you in me or me in you.... well, I can find no other word for it but passionate. I am transported to another plane. We are completely one.... for those few minutes. I look into your eyes and I just want to melt right into you. Be part of you.

"When you said that Tom was your best friend.... I-I-I kind of got a stab of pain in my chest. You are my best friend Joe. Besides being my lover and mate."

The two men stared into each other eyes. Finally, Joe reached up with both hands and grasped Dave's head, pulling his face to his. He kissed Dave's forehead, and then each of his closed eyes. He relaxed his hands and let them drop as Dave sat back up.

"Remember our discussion about friends, Dave? I have a feeling that as you let yourself open up to others and let them be close to you, you will find that one of them will become your best friend, your confidante. We, you and I, are each other's center, but we need our friends. Friends are like satellites, like the moon. They have a strong effect on us. Without friends we're like a comet hurling through space, not being strongly affected by anything. And not having any effect on anything.

"So don't worry about Tom, or any of my other friends. They will never displace you, because you are the center of my being. You are the one that makes me whole." Joe rubbed his hand up and down Dave's back. "Have you thought about when you want to go back to the Way mansion?"

Dave shot him a quick look.

"No."

"Scared of Edith's ghost?"

"You really did see it, too, didn't you?" Dave asked.

"Yeah, I saw it."

"Do you think we might have just imagined it?"

"Well, that's a possibility. I guess we will have to go back to find out."

"Do you think we should get an exorcist, if it is real?"

"Only if it does any harm. Have you thought about what you want to do with the mansion?"

"Well, we could sell it...I certainly don't want to live in it."

"What would you think of turning it into a museum? It could give people a look into the opulence of another time. And the gardens, from what little I saw from the car and out the upstairs windows, are really awesome. It could be equal to the Huntington in Pasadena, California."

"Hey, that's a cool idea. And Edith could be an added attraction. The Haunted Way Mansion. Do you have to be at the building site tomorrow?" Dave asked.

"I have one meeting tomorrow morning, but the rest of the day I'm free."

"Great! I'll call Clyde tomorrow and see if he wants to join us. He can help in working out the details of turning it into a museum."