As the song ended and the CD player stopped, Michael and Ben found they had danced themselves into the bedroom.
Michael let go of his grip on Ben and looked into the saddest pair of blue eyes he'd ever seen. "Ben? what's wrong?"
"He almost had me, Michael. I almost..."
Michael put a finger to Ben's lips. "But you didn't."
Ben sat on the bed and ran a hand through his hair. "He offered me the extra ticket to the lecture. At first, I'd turned him down because I was going to go with you and Hunter, but I really wanted to go. So, we went. Then went to his place to discuss the lecture. That's when he.."
"Ben..."
"Let me finish...please?"
Michael sat next to him and nodded.
"That's when he said he wanted to be like me. That's when he kissed me." Ben sighed, looking at Michael, who was trying to take it all in.
"I told him he was making a mistake, told him about you and Hunter but that didn't register with him."
"And you didn't leave right then?"
"I wanted to, but my body wouldn't move. He began to unbutton my shirt and tell how he fantasized and dreamed about me, about being like me. That's when he told me he wanted me to be the one to give him 'the gift.'"
"That sick little fucker," Michael huffed.
"I tried to talk him out of it, but he wouldn't. He reached for my zipper and that's when I left."
Michael rubbed his arm. "You did the right thing."
"A few days later, I went to check books out of the library. he was there."
"Jesus."
"I tried again to talk him out of it, but he said it was too late."
"Too late?"
"He said that after I left, he went to what's called a 'conversion party'. He said he had unprotected sex with, in his words, 'a dozen or so other guys.'"
"Fuck!"
"He got tested and finds out in a couple of weeks whether or not he's positive"
Michael wrapped his arms around Ben. "I'm Sorry"
"For what? you the one who almost got cheated on."
"I know. I'm just sorry he hurt you the way he did."
"And I'm sorry for hurting you."
Michael looked confused.
"This whole book and movie bullshit got me all frazzled and..."
"Jealous?" Michael half-smiled.
Ben nodded "Yes. I let my ego get the best of me. Then Anthony began showering me with all sorts of praise that my ego got even bigger. You knew, didn't you?"
"Well, the way he would call all the time and all the time you spent with him did kinda throw up a red flag for me."
"I was the clueless one. Michael, I'm so very sorry about everything that's happened lately. I promise to be more of the man you fell in love with than a jealous jerk-off."
Michael kissed him. "Apology accepted."
As Michael leaned in for a kiss, Ben shuddered.
"It's ok, baby." Michael whispered. "You've already given me the greatest gifts of all"
"I did?" Ben seemed confused
Michael smiled. "Mmmhmm. You've given me love, trust, support and a reason to live," As he spoke, he unbuttoned Ben's shirt, trailing small, loving kisses along his lovers broad chest. "gifts I'm always happy to receive."
Ben pulled Michael's face to his. "I have one more gift." Ben kissed Michael softly, sliding his hand under Michael's shirt, pulling it over his head. He studied the smaller, muscular man in front of him. taking in every muscle and curve. "Beautiful." He kissed Michael again, pushing onto the bed.
The trail of kisses began at the top of his lovers head, continuing down his face. Eyes, ears...nothing was left out. Ben kissed along Michael's strong jawline, down his neck to his shoulders, his long arms.
Michael sighed dreamily and moaned low.
"Tonight, you're mine." Ben grinned, sucking an already erect nipple into his hungry mouth as his hands busily worked at undoing the buttons on Michael's jeans.
"Always," was Michael's reply.
Ben turned his attention to his lovers other nipple, sucking, gently biting down on it. The assault continued down to the flat stomach, stopping momentarily to play with his navel, Ben's tongue flicking in and out.
"Yes, Ben...yes," Michael hissed.
Ben got his knees and pulled Michael jeans off, tossing them on the floor, discarding his own shirt as well. He leaned over and got a condom from the bowl on the nightstand. He tore the package open and put the latex circle in his mouth, then he bent between Michael's legs, throwing them over his shoulders, and rolled the rubber on the hard shaft with his mouth.
Michael moaned loudly, grasping the sheets. "Jesus...yes...oh...God..."
Ben's head bobbed up and down as he expertly sucked the erect cock of the man he loved so passionately, a man he loved so much that he swore he'd kill himself if he ever hurt him the way he almost did.
Michael moaned and his head thrashed from side to side. "Gonna come..."
"Not yet!" Ben insisted, sitting on his knees.
"Condom." Michael wearily, reached over and got one, giving it to Ben, who opened it and rolled it on.
Applying lube, he greased himself and Michael's waiting hole.
"Fuck me." Michael begged.
"No." was Ben's gentle answer, as he slowly inched way into Michael, guiding his way past his lover's tight ring of
muscle.
Michael winced in pain and tensed his body before relaxing, letting Ben in all the way.
Minutes seemed to last an eternity as both men had come in a wild eruption of pleasure.
Ben lay on his back as Michael curled himself against Ben's powerful body, resting his head comfortably on his chest.
"Thank you for the gift." Michael smiled
Ben kissed Michael's temple. "As long as you don't return it, you're welcome," he teased.
"Now it's my turn," Michael growled as he disappeared under the blanket.
Ben closed eyes and silently thanked God for giving him another chance with Michael, then ducked under the blanket with him.