Title: NO MORE VALENTINE'S DAY Author/pseudonym: Candy Apple Rating: NFK Pairings: J/B Status: New, complete Date: 2-12-99 Archive: YES (Drama, Romance, Holiday) Series/Sequel: These Two Hearts universe, third story Disclaimers: The guys are not mine. Whoever all holds their copyrights, no infringement intended. Notes: This story takes place after "Shadows of the Past" in the "These Two Hearts" series. You can enjoy this story without having read the rest of the universe, but it helps. ;-) Summary: Blair tries to think of the perfect way to celebrate Valentine's Day with his lover. Warnings: Sap, poetry, romance...references to m/m, but no action. ;-) ************************************** NO MORE VALENTINE'S DAY by Candy Apple Blair finished grading the last of a stack of term papers, and leaned back in the leather chair behind his rich, antique desk. The fire leapt and crackled in the fireplace, keeping the room cozy despite its high ceilings and the low temperatures outdoors. There was very little Blair liked better than spending a day in his study, surrounded by his books and his trinkets, spoiled rotten by the luxurious home office that would probably make Rainier's president drool. Very little he liked better except for curling up on the floor in front of the fireplace with Jim. Or making love with Jim. Or cooking dinner with Jim. Or grocery shopping with Jim. Or fixing the truck with Jim... Blair laughed to himself, and got up to go into the kitchen. It was his turn to cook, and since Jim had outdone himself with a tossed salad, garlic bread and lasagna the night before, it fell to Blair to do something equally tasty. Pulling two large steaks out of the refrigerator, Blair started gathering the supplies for their meal. As he moved about the kitchen, his eyes landed on the calendar. Two days until Valentine's Day. He sighed, still in a quandary over what to do for Jim for their first Valentine's Day in their new house. Last year, they'd gone to a cabin owned by a friend of Jim's, and seen nothing of the great outdoors for the three days they were there. //This year has to be special,// Blair reasoned, thinking that something that involved staying in their new home would be most appropriate. Maybe a quiet night at home, a candle light dinner, making love in front of the fireplace into the wee hours of the morning. //Nope. Did that Saturday night,// Blair dismissed. Take a bath together, wash each other's hair... //Uh-uh. Did that last night.// Blair shook his head, tearing up lettuce, then moving to slice tomatoes. Make love in some unusual part of the house. Try a new position. //Well, unless the kitchen floor isn't unusual, and unless one of us sprouts a third leg or a second cock, there *aren't* any new positions left.// Blair glanced at the deceptively innocent linoleum, and found himself blushing at the action it had seen a week earlier. Light up the living room with candles, turn on soft music, and slow dance together. //Did that New Year's Eve after turning down all the party invitations.// Fix up the bedroom in a special way and lay yourself out on the bed buck naked in some sexy position. //Jim's birthday. Been there, done that. Actually, been there and done it several times. Who knew chamomile in the shampoo would turn out to be an aphrodisiac to an oversexed sentinel?// Blair started the steaks grilling and returned to his study to retrieve the glass and plate he'd left there from his sandwich earlier. As he located the dirty dishes to take back to the kitchen, he looked around the room. Not only did he have the best room in the house for his work, not only was he reminded daily in a million little ways how much he was treasured, not only was every part of him cherished and eagerly loved when he was making love with Jim, not only did Jim make it his personal mission in life to erase the pain that had been in Blair's memory...not only was he blessed to live in the middle of the kind of romance most people only dream of, but their lives were so rich with romance that he couldn't come up with anything for Valentine's Day, the day for lovers, that they hadn't been motivated to do together out of the love they shared. No special dates on the calendar had ever been necessary. Smiling a little shakily at that revelation, Blair thanked whatever deity would listen for making this life the light at the end of what had been a very dark, horrible tunnel. His life before he and Jim became lovers had been the stuff of nightmares, a living hell...but he had passed through it and had been rewarded with the most unspeakable kind of heaven. And now, having survived the anguish of being the object of one man's sadism, he looked forward to spending a lifetime of being the object of another man's love, desire, and lifetime commitment. To being spoiled and protected and adored. To spoiling, protecting and adoring the man he loved. Could any day on a calendar prompt two lovers to give anything more wonderful to each other? ****** "Blair?" Jim entered through the back door, into the kitchen. Steaks were grilling, salad was in a bowl on the table, which had already been set. There was a bottle of wine chilling in an ice bucket on the counter. The kitchen was warm and cozy with the smells of dinner and the smells of home. Jim smiled as he looked forward to one of their two-hour dinners--consuming food and talking about anything and everything that had happened all day. The only good thing about spending the day apart was spending the evening--and the night-- catching up with Blair. Jim went to the grill and turned the steaks, convinced they were ready to start grilling on the other side. Just as he was about to go hunting for his errant lover, and the man in charge of the food, Blair appeared in the doorway leading to the dining room. "I turned the steaks," Jim explained, heading over to Blair for their greeting kiss. After pulling his unresisting lover into his arms and kissing him soundly, Jim smiled and settled into the tight embrace that followed. "Get through that stack of term papers, sweetheart?" he asked, still holding Blair, rubbing his back in long strokes. //God, I never get sick of the way he feels in my arms, the way just holding him makes me feel like I'm home, no matter where we are...// "Yeah, just a little while ago. Jim? This is for you. Happy Valentine's Day," Blair held out a small white envelope, which Jim accepted, smiling with a little confusion. "I hate to tell you this, Chief, but today is the 12th." "I know. I want you to have it now. That's kind of the point of it. Well, you'll know what I mean when you read it." "Okay." Jim opened the envelope and took out a small sheet of paper bearing Blair's handwriting. "There are no words To tell you how much I love you Or one day more special than another We long since ceased to need words And every day we're together Is a celebration of our love In every day I find a moment That would be the shining glory Of most people's Valentine's Day Our hearts and flowers Are love notes on the fridge And lazy kisses in the morning Or when we wake up all tangled Impossibly trapped in a prison Of damp, wrinkled sheets Love poems don't mean as much As the sound of your voice When you call me 'sweetheart' And the most beautiful fantasies Of romance and lovemaking Are memories of what we shared last night And the day for lovers Is not on the 14th of February But every day I wake up in your arms." Blair watched as Jim read the poem, the strong jaw twitching, tears springing into the clear blue eyes. "Happy Valentine's Day, lover. Thank you for giving yourself to me," Blair said softly, smiling up at Jim. "And for making our life together one big Valentine's Day." Without words, Jim pulled his lover close in his arms, fighting the wave of emotion rushing through him. "I love you, sweetheart," Jim mumbled into Blair's hair. They spent long minutes just holding each other, relishing the intimacy and beauty of the moment. Blair was stunned to be the first of the two of them to notice the smell of burning steaks. ************************ THE END Happy Valentine's Day! :-)