Return to Sender

by Ashlyn Kane

  “You said we were just going to sleep!” Emerson reminded him as Jonah rubbed circles on his flank with his thumb.

  Humming in response, Jonah pressed his lips to Emerson’s hairline, nibbling lightly, sliding his hand lower. “Did I?”

  Emerson huffed, but his breath was definitely coming quicker. “You know you—” He cut himself off as Jonah wrapped his hand loosely around his erection. “You lured me here under false”—his hips stuttered—“false pretenses.”

  Jonah grinned to himself. “Do you want me to stop?”

  Emerson’s breathless laugh went right to his cock. “Don’t you dare.”

  §

  WHEN Jonah dropped Emerson off at the airport, he wouldn’t let Emerson go before acting out a very cheesy goodbye.

  Emerson had gasped with surprise when Jonah suddenly wrapped an arm around his shoulders and pressed the opposite hand warm against the small of his back, then tilted Emerson back into a low dip. There, in the middle of the airport, Jonah kissed him thoroughly.

  Emerson blushed hotly, embarrassed by such a romantic public display. When Jonah let him straighten back up, he didn’t miss the fact that people were watching. Strangers were staring at him.

  “You’re insane,” Emerson muttered as he put his face in Jonah’s neck so that he wouldn’t have to see them watching him.

  “You love it!” Jonah crowed. He was laughing with delight, exhilarated by what he had just done, Emerson could tell.

  “You’re still a maniac,” Emerson said, tilting his head to kiss Jonah’s jaw. “Now, are you going to let me go so I can get on my plane?”

  Jonah’s arms tightened around him. “I don’t want you to go. I’m going to miss you. Are you sure you can’t just stay here forever?” Jonah asked, flashing puppy dog eyes.

  Emerson placed one hand over Jonah’s face. “Put those away. They don’t work on me.”

  Jonah grinned. “Sure they do!”

  “Well, they don’t work well enough to get me to miss my flight back home. Despite how much I want to be with you.”

  Jonah gave a pleased, sappy grin at that. “Well, alright then. Just so long as I know that you would rather be with me, I’ll be satisfied enough to let you go.” Jonah contradicted those words with another squeeze.

  Emerson laughed. “Seriously, Jonah!”

  Jonah just grinned and planted another kiss on his mouth.

  Emerson opened his mouth to tell Jonah off again when he heard a boarding call for his plane.

  “You have to go,” Jonah said, sounding disappointed.

  “Yeah, I have to go.”

  “I’ll see you at Christmas,” Jonah pointed out. “And we still have e-mail.”

  “E-mail isn’t a very good substitute. I don’t get to hear your voice. You need to get a phone,” Emerson said, tapping a finger on Jonah’s chest.

  Jonah gave a self-deprecating smirk. “But they’re so expensive. Skype is free, though.”

  Smiling, Emerson said, “That it is. But for now, you have to let me go.”

  Jonah let out a mighty sigh and kissed him hard one last time, then let him go. “See you at Christmas?”

  “Yeah, you’ll see me at Christmas,” Emerson said before taking a step back. Jonah had clung to his hands for a long moment before finally letting go.

  Emerson hadn’t been able to help the way that he turned to look back over his shoulder to get one last glimpse of Jonah before he turned the corner and was out of sight.

  The flight home felt like it took eons. He was just as nervous flying this time as he was on the first trip, except this time Jonah wasn’t with him to make it better.

  By the time the flight touched down in Austin, Emerson was a bit of a wreck: he was jittery and sweaty, and he was pretty sure he had tugged and pushed his hair into a mess. He didn’t hesitate when it came to getting off the plane.

  Emerson was, at that moment, very glad that Jonah had convinced him not to check any luggage. He really didn’t feel up to waiting around. Right now, he wanted to get in Zack’s car and get home to clean clothes and a shower.

  When it had come time to finding a ride home from the airport, Emerson had gone to his friend to act as chauffeur. Fortunately for Emerson, Zack was the kind of guy who would pick you up from the airport so your grieving mother wouldn’t have to.

  Relief swept through Emerson when he finally caught sight of a waiting Zack.

  “Emma! Welcome home!” Zack called out to him.

  Emerson smiled back and waved as he approached. “Hey,” he greeted once he was within talking distance.

  As he was expecting a standard greeting in response, Emerson was rather surprised when Zack replied with raucous laughter. His eyes were dancing, and he even clapped his hands together in delight. “Oh-oh, Emma! Had a good trip I see!”

  Emerson frowned at his friend. Considering he probably looked a bit neurotic and tired after that flight, he wasn’t sure what it was about his appearance that made Zack reach that conclusion. “What?”

  Zack’s grin got even wider. “Oh, don’t tell me you didn’t notice!” When Emerson continued to stare at him, confused, Zack let out another bark of laughter. Then he reached up with one hand to poke a long finger into Emerson’s neck. The prodding was surprisingly painful.

  “Ouch!” Emerson swatted his hand away. “What are you…?”

  “Your boy is the amorous type. Also, I’m thinking very possessive. He marked you up good.”

  “What?” he asked again, though he could feel the dawning horror.

  “You’re covered in hickeys. Covered.”

  Emerson’s eyes widened in dismay. “Oh God. Really?”

  “How did you not notice?” Zack asked, still grinning as he started to lead the way to the car.

  “I didn’t shave this morning, so I didn’t really look in a mirror.” Oh geez, Zack had noticed them straight away, which meant that they were visible enough for other people to have noticed them. He could feel his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “I’m going to kill Jonah. He never even said anything,” Emerson whined.

  “’Course he didn’t. Probably figured you’d get all embarrassed, and there’s nothing you can do about it now. They’re there, and you can’t wear a scarf in this heat.”

  Oh man. Just great. Not only was Jonah apparently a vampire, but he was a proprietary and exhibitionistic one. It would seem that he liked to both mark Emerson up and show those marks off. And now Zack was going to laugh at him, and Zack knew—

  “Wait a minute, how did you know Jonah…?”

  “Left his calling card?” Zack asked, one eyebrow arched as he unlocked the car’s doors. “Because no way did you let a stranger mark you up that bad and not notice. Also, any fool could see how bad that boy’s got it for you.” Then he slid into the car, leaving Emerson to scramble at the door handle and tussle with his bag as he hastily made it into the car.

  “What?!”

  “Figured it out the first time I saw him. Jonah’s crazy in love with you.” Zack turned on the engine and started to pull out of the parking space.

  Emerson reached for his seat belt and quickly snapped it shut. “You figured out Jonah was in love with me while standing on a street curb with him for… two minutes?”

  “Yeah. He’s ’bout as difficult to understand as pig Latin.” Zack smirked.

  Emerson sat in stunned silence, taking that in.

  “So, I take it things went well on your vacation then?” Zack asked eventually.

  A no doubt silly and stupid grin formed on Emerson’s face. “Really well. The week was awesome, but then last night Jonah confessed….” Emerson cleared his throat. “He told me he felt the same.”

  “I’m glad.” Emerson was impressed, as Zack only sounded a little grudging as he said that. “You were due for some good news in your life.”

  Emerson was surprised at how touched he was by those words. “Thanks.”

  There was a long pause that was definitely turning awkward. E
merson should have known how badly Zack would do with this kind of conversation.

  The sound of Zack clearing his throat very loudly filled the vehicle. “Right, so let’s get you home to your mama.”

  Emerson grinned at his crazy friend. It was good to be home. And soon he’d be walking in the front door and seeing his mom and little sister for the first time in a week. Life was feeling pretty damn good, he thought to himself, reaching up to scratch at his neck. He was surprised by another twinge of pain. Right, so life was pretty damned good, despite the array of hickeys. He was going to get back at Jonah for that. First, though, he was going to go home and….

  “Shit! I can’t go home after a vacation to San Francisco to see my mama when I’m covered in hickeys!”

  Zack’s laughter filled the cabin as they sped down the highway.

  Chapter 14

  NOW

  “KILL the redhead, marry Hanna, and fuck Hayley,” said Eve with a discreet sip of her wine. Her eyes were sparkling with delight. Emerson shot her an incredulous look. Sure, he had given her the options, but that was not how he thought things would play out. “Have you had Hanna’s cookies?” Eve wanted to know.

  Emerson blinked at her. “Does Hayley know you have designs on her? Never mind. I suppose I should be grateful you’re not going to off one of my best friends,” he said dryly.

  “And only fag hag!” chirped Eve.

  Emerson ignored her. “Also, it’s good to know a lifelong commitment from you comes so cheap.”

  Eve looked affronted. “They have bacon in them, Emerson. Bacon.” She sighed. “It’s amazing. Miraculous, even. Plus, Hayley is way hotter than Red. Anyway, it’s my turn now.” Her eyes took on mischievous sparkle. “Fuck, marry, kill: Zack, Greg, Matt.”

  “Seriously? That’s just wrong any way you cut it,” Emerson told her. Eve just gave him a look; she wouldn’t change her play. He sighed. “Fine. Marry Greg because he knows how to clean a bathroom and put shit away, fuck Matt because yes, he really is that pretty, and kill Zack because he’d hit me if I ever even suggested the other two to him.”

  Eve gave a delighted laugh. “At least you didn’t say marry Matt. And it’s not like you can marry Zack in Texas anyway, you know. Alright, go on, hit me with it.”

  Emerson started peering around the room. “I can’t marry Greg either,” he muttered distractedly. He stared at all the prospects.

  “Neither can I, you know. It’s just part of the fantasy,” Eve said with a smirk.

  Emerson just rolled his eyes. “Um… fuck, marry, kill: Surya, girl in yellow dress in the corner, or….” He took another sweeping glance of the room before settling on—he snorted—“Professor Stacey.”

  “Kill Surya, fuck yellow dress, marry Professor Stacey.”

  Emerson couldn’t help the gagging noise he made.

  “Come on, dude, even you have to admit the woman is pretty hot for forty. And the take-no-prisoners attitude is a total turn-on.”

  Emerson just stared at her. “That was more than I wanted to know about your kinks.”

  “Don’t lie, darling, you know you like it! Now, FMK: the hottie in the blue shirt, Jerome—he’s the one in the corner with the pink tie—or, hmm. Oooh, the guy with the girl in the red dress with the amazing rack. Actually, damn, maybe I want them both to myself.” Eve lifted a hand to fan herself.

  “Pink tie?” asked Emerson as he started to look around for these three guys. “That’s too much even for me. I may have to reject him on principle. Blue shirt has potential, and…,” he was saying as he turned to look for the last choice, his eyes finally spotting the bright red dress. The dress was pretty sinful: high hem, low neck, and tight curves. But Emerson was a little disturbed to see that the dress was also on a very familiar body—Natalie—and so the hot guy Natalie was with was—“Oh.”

  “Emery? Come on, what’s the hold-up? Aren’t you going to answer? Em?”

  Jonah looked—oh, he looked as gorgeous as ever. Emerson’s mouth went dry as he stared. Natalie said something to him then that had him tossing his head back to let out one of his boisterous laughs.

  “Damn,” muttered Eve. “Right, I can see why you’re distracted. But come on, Emery, fuck or marry Mr. Gorgeous?”

  Marry! Emerson’s hindbrain cried. Marry him!

  “That’s—it’s Jonah,” Emerson managed to choke out.

  “What? That’s Jonah? Oh, damn….” Eve gave him a tentative sidelong look.

  Jonah. Jonah was here. Why was Jonah here? This was the last place Emerson had suspected he’d run into Jonah.

  “Emerson?” Eve prompted.

  “Marry,” Emerson croaked out.

  “I know. Maybe you should tell him that?”

  “I can’t—he wouldn’t—he was so mad, I don’t know if he would…,” Emerson stumbled out.

  Then Jonah was turning to look at him. Jonah was looking at him first with surprise but then with that same familiar, tender look.

  Emerson downed the rest of his wine, then passed the empty glass to Eve. Right. Jonah was what he wanted, and it was time to tell him that.

  §

  THEN

  UNFORTUNATELY for Emerson, there was no way that he could avoid going home. His mother was expecting him and would definitely be disappointed if he didn’t show up after being away for a week. So Emerson let Zack take him home.

  “Good luck,” Zack told him with a smile.

  Emerson grumbled and waved the finger at Zack in return.

  He stayed outside to watch Zack drive off, but he knew it was just an excuse to delay the inevitable.

  When he walked through the front door, it was to a cry of, “You’re home!” Then his mother was there, wrapping her arms around him tight and giving him a squeeze.

  “Oh, I missed you, baby! Did you have a good time?” she was already asking even before she had fully relinquished her grip. Standing back, she held him at arm’s length.

  “How was San Francisco? How’s Jonah doing?” she asked as she looked him over. Her eyes went kind of funny, but then she was demanding to hear about what he had done on his visit.

  Emerson soon found himself being guided to a kitchen chair. His mother placed a drink before him and then added a plate of cookies.

  “Are you hungry?” she asked of him, and then she was making him food.

  Her prodding was relentless, and soon Emerson was recounting the week he’d had with Jonah. Telling her about all the sights they had visited and the things they had done.

  After Emerson had finished telling his mother about visiting the Fraenkel Gallery of Photography and eaten the last of his sandwich, his mother gave him a long look and said, “So, darling, did you do anything else interesting on your trip?”

  Emerson took another drink of his juice and considered the question. He’d discussed the Fraenkel Gallery, told her also about seeing the de Young and the Legion of Honor art galleries. He had told her about going to the beach and seeing Alcatraz in the distance, and about the Golden Gate Bridge and Park, Sausalito and the Fisherman’s Wharf. He had even told her the story about Jonah and the sea lions.

  He couldn’t think of anything else that he wanted to tell her, and told her as much.

  “Oh. Are you sure?” she asked him. “There’s nothing else you wanted to tell me about?” She raised both eyebrows at her son. Emerson felt himself color as he considered what it was that he wasn’t telling his mother.

  He shook his head.

  “Honey, are you sure there is nothing happy you want to tell me about? Maybe something that happened yesterday?”

  Her eyes flicked down, and she stared pointedly his neck.

  Emerson felt himself color again. “Um.” He looked down and stared at the crumbs on his plate. “No?” His voice was hesitant. He reached out with one hand and began pushing some of the crumbs around on his plate.

  His mother sighed. “Oh. You know that you can tell me anything, right?”

  Emerson looked up to see that his mo
ther was staring at him, her eyes looking kind of sad. He couldn’t put that look on her face.

  “Yes,” he whispered to his plate.

  “So, you’ve nothing else to tell me?” she prodded once again.

  Emerson sighed. “Um, maybe? Jonah… uh, Jonah asked me to be his boyfriend?”

  “Hm, so I see. He was quite persistent in his asking,” she said, her eyes trailing over his neck. “I’m guessing that you said yes then.”

  He wondered if it was possible to do himself an injury by blushing too much. “Yes.”

  “Good. I could tell, the last time I saw you, how much you adored him. I’m happy for you, sweetheart.”

  Emerson stared at his mother. You could? he thought desperately. Then he found his voice to say, “You’re okay with this?”

  She gave him a shaky smile. “Yes, dear. I told you months ago I was okay with you being gay, and I can’t think of anyone better then Jonah to entrust with your heart.” She smiled at him then. “He’s a good boy.”

  A soppy smile cross his face. “Yeah, he’s kind of wonderful,” Emerson confessed.

  His reverie was broken by his mother’s laughter. “Oh my, but you do have it bad. And I suppose Jonah’s equally as enamored with you. I can’t imagine that boy playing around with your heart.”

  Nodding, Emerson tried to ignore the flicker of doubt he felt about that. “He said he….” Embarrassment stole his voice, so he waved his hand around, hoping that would suffice to tell her. “I believe him,” he added in a whisper.

  “Good!” his mother said. She clapped a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. “Now. My next topic of conversation is out. Knowing Jonah, I guess that I don’t have to worry if you were safe. That boy has always been too careful with your well-being to put you in danger.”

  Emerson stared at his mother in horror. “What?” His voice pitched a little too high.