Page 7 of The Homecoming: The Island

“Your wise husband says you’d better go back to bed, otherwise you won’t wake up in time to cook breakfast. Ira is back, and you know that one alone could eat the content of a food truck,” Fabian feigned horror when he spoke the last part.

“This talk about food makes me hungry.” Lance kissed his husband on the neck. “But I’m too lazy to go into the kitchen, and, since you are the only edible thing in the room…”

“Me being eaten by my husband,” Fabian drawled the words, shifting to face the other man. “That sounded…savage.” He let out a small moan when Lance nipped at the sweet spot behind his ear.

“You know what I miss? A make out session, the kind two kids who are experiencing the thrills of first love would get engaged in. Light caresses, butterfly kisses, tasting, exploring…things like that,” Lance whispered in his husband’s ear, tentatively running his fingers through his husband’s short strands.

“I love how you always know what I need,” Fabian replied in a low, thick voice, his sapphire eyes shining with love and gratitude for the man holding him in his arms. “Let’s kiss and make out like two innocent teen boys, please give me what I never had.”

Only when Fabian spoke the last words did Lance realize the importance his words had for his soulmate; he offered the man, who was introduced to a sex life so brutally, the possibility of a fresh start. Mentally facepalming himself for not thinking about it two years earlier, when the two of them started their physical relationship, he gently placed Fabian on the pillows.

At that point, Lance was at a loss. His husband was the only man he was ever with, the one who took his virginity at fifty-six, so he had no idea what two kids in love with each other would do when they would end up in the same bed for the first time. Certainly not jumping one another’s bones, he thought, feeling a bit nervous.

Smiling apologetically, Lance stared into Fabian’s innocence-filled sapphire eyes, looking for an answer. The other man felt his husband’s hesitation, and, caressing his cheek with the tips of his fingers, offered him an encouraging smile. That’s it,Lance’s light-green eyes brightened,kisses, teen boys kiss a lot.

He started to brush his lips all over Fabian’s face, barely touching the skin, covering every inch, from the forehead to the little dimple in the chin. With each butterfly kiss, Lance found new reasons to love and treasure his husband, the desire he had for the man reaching another, superior, spiritual level. He wanted to protect Fabian, to keep him safe, so he could enjoy the man’s presence in his life for many years to come.

Lance planted a sweet, chaste kiss on the corner of his husband’s mouth, the blue light in the other man’s eyes becoming even more intense. Cupping his soulmate’s face with one hand, Fabian tentatively caressed Lance’s cheek with the fingertips of the other, sweet words of love pouring from his lips. Wrapping his arms around his husband’s neck, he deepened the kiss a little, passion and innocence melting together.

With a mind of their own, Fabian and Lance’s hands roamed over one another’s body, removing the pajama tops and tenderly exploring each plane and curve. Each feather-light touch turned the two men into beautiful instruments playing the song of love under the skilled hands of a maestro. Skin on skin, Lance and Fabian listened to their hearts beating in sync, serenity taking over their features.

This new demonstration of the love his husband had for him, so innocent, without any sexual innuendo, filled Fabian’s heart with joy and gratitude, his feelings for Lance deeper and stronger than ever. Held by the man who gave him everything, without expecting anything in return, Fabian started to cry tears of joy and relief, letting out all the tension he accumulated over the past few days.

A reassuring smile playing on his lips, Lance rocked his husband, making no attempt to stop him from crying. When the tears drained, taking with them all the weight on his soul, Fabian shifted in his husband’s embrace, smiling back at him. Sighing in contentment, happy smiles on their faces, the two husbands drifted asleep, dreaming of their life together.

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“Good morning Grumpa, hello Granddad,” Rowan greeted the two husbands who stepped into the kitchen smiling and holding hands. “Look at the lovebirds,” the blond, long-haired teen turned to Ira and Tarrin, who harbored knowing grins, “they slept like two boulders, after spending the night doing…whatever, while we are starving to death here.”

“Says the one who ate half the content of the fridge,” Dunbar replied, shaking his head. “And still, your ass is the skinniest I ever saw, I don’t know where all the food goes.”

“Hey, bro, don’t try to change the subject,” Ira intervened, earning himself a gratitude-filled look from Rowan. “The resident genius is right, we are all famished here, and no one seems to care.” The teen put a hand on his stomach, which grumbled in confirmation of his words.

“Did someone say food?” Nico stepped into the kitchen, all smiles and blond, wavy hair. “I hope there’s plenty of it, because I’m super-hungry and I brought a guest, too.” A warm smile on his face, he pointed to Tobias, who waved shyly.

“Hello, dear boys, what a sight for this old man’s eyes!” Eyes shining with happiness, Fabian hugged the two kids to his chest, kissing their foreheads. “Take a seat, I’m going to help your Grumpa cook an epic breakfast,” he added, heading to the fridge.

“I’m putting myself in charge of the toaster,” Dunbar left his seat, heading to the counter. “Also, I’ll warm some milk up for the resident kitty.” He cast an affectionate look in Tarrin’s direction.

“Mmm,” Tobias softly moaned, “I could eat toast all day, it’s one of my favorite foods, and one of the few that doesn’t make me sick. Ira, can you please prepare me one, with peanut butter and strawberry jam? You know better than anyone how I like it.”

Ira nodded, smiling, then headed to the cabinet where honey and different varieties of jams and jelly were stored. From the corner of his eye, Fabian looked at the group of boys gathered around the table, their chit-chat sweet music to his ears. They are finally reunited and will stay that way. I’ll see to it,the man thought, his eyes filled with sheer determination.

CHAPTER 6

“Papa!” Giggling, Paisley and Axel stepped into the kitchen, running to Ardan and hugging his waist. “Good morning,” the little girl sang, when her father picked her and her brother up, then kissed the man on both cheeks. “Dad, did you snore loud last night? Papa has circles under his eyes, like a raccoon.”

“The circles are because of the cold wind on the island, it irritated our eyes and we rubbed them a lot,” Ardan patiently explained, kissing both children on their foreheads and rosy cheeks, then put them down. “To be compared with a raccoon.” He went next to Alasdair, grinning. “This is the end of my popularity. Good morning, my Spitfire, you smell good.”

Heart filled with happiness at the sight of the smile brightening his husband’s face, the redhead decided to enter into the game Ardan and the children started. “Your popularity? What about me, who is blamed for everything that doesn’t work in here? Not letting you sleep, because I snore! That is scandalous!” Alasdair put his hands on his hips, making the two children laugh in cascades.

“You snore, but I sleep very good when you do,” Ardan whispered in the redhead’s ear, then kissed him on the top of his head. “Thank you for being so patient and understanding.”

“Papa, dad, can we have a baby brother, or two? Just like Selma and Alexis are going to have? Pretty please?” Paisley put her hands together, batting her long eyelashes.

“Peyton has a baby in his tummy, this small.” Axel solemnly shook his head, gesturing with his little hands. “Selma says it will be out just before Christmas,” the boy continued, turquoise eyes shining with hope.

Ardan and Alasdair exchanged a puzzled look, then the redhead cleared his throat. “Peyton is…um…specially equipped to carry babies. Your Papa and I don’t have what it takes to give birth to children.” He blushed in embarrassment.

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