A/N Hope you're enjoying this story. This chapter is a little long again. I hope it's still okay.

Max was home again. Alone. Well, not really. Not this time. He didn't feel alone even though Slade wasn't there. Slade was coming to stay for a while at the end of the week.

Alyssa saw a difference when Max returned from his vacation. Max walked in on Tuesday. "Okay! What in the hell is going on?" Her hands were on her hips. She was waiting for him in purple hues this time.

"What?" Max looked like he had no idea what she could mean.

"Okay, where did you go on vacation and why are you in such a great mood!" Alyssa glared. "You met someone!"

Max sighed. "Alyssa. Please. Just...I'm trying new things."

"I see that. Is it a girl? We have an office pool going!" Alyssa smiled.

Max laughed. "No girl. I just needed to take a break."

Alyssa watched Max. "I have known you for a long time and I have worked with you for six years, Max. Something is different. I asked Bill and he's silent. Is this about the flowers?"

Max blushed and looked at the floor. "When I'm ready, I'll tell you. Okay. I'm just not ready. I have things to work out. Just give me a little more time. Okay?"

Alyssa smiled. "It's just great to see you happy, Max. I don't think I ever have. Carson and I were talking about it. We're all happy for you. We really are."

Max nodded. "Thanks. Alyssa, just be patient." He was nervous and worried that these people would hate him for being gay. He hated being so scared.

He didn't have that worry at home with Slade. He could be gay and have a boyfriend and no one cared. He didn't care. It was different here and he felt the stress from it.

He found himself humming as he walked down the hall and Carson was watching him. Max noticed the look and felt paranoid. "What, I'm in a good mood!"

Carson smiled. "I see. It's great to see, Max."

He had been working with Max in this office for five years and never knew that Max could hum or smile at nothing. Things were different this week. Max was different.

He stayed in the office during lunch and closed his door. He spent the hour on the phone talking to someone. Carson and Alyssa heard him say he missed whoever it was on the other end. Max was seeing someone.

Max had headphones and was listening to Slade sing as Bill walked in for dinner. It was their thing on most Friday nights. Bill smiled and pointed at the headphones. They were like the ones that Slade used.

Bill waited for Max to remove them. "Nice headphones. Are you listening to NPR?"

Max shook his head. "No. New songs."

"When is he coming?" Bill knew that Slade was coming back.

"Tonight. I'm picking him up in an hour." Max smiled.

"So, are you guys officially dating?" Bill watched his son.

Max sighed. "We are. I'm... I love him, Dad." He looked worried. "Please, don't tell him I said that. I know he isn't looking for love and I don't want to lose anything. Just pretend I didn't say that!" He was starting to panic.

Bill smiled. "I'm proud of you, Max. I really am. I won't say anything but you should. Everyone loves to hear that someone loves them. It's nice."

Max shook his head. "No! It's only nice when the feelings are mutual. It's not if they aren't, things get ruined and awkward. Remember when Mom used to say 'You can always talk to me and tell me anything. Anytime.' Remember that! When I took her up on it, she left."

Bill sighed. He understood that fear. He just nodded. "I get it."

"I don't want to lose him. We are good right now." Max inhaled. "I have to calm down."

Bill smiled. "You're a mess and I love it." He laughed.

Max just glared as he ate. He hated that he loved it too. Bill was asking this before Slade came. "So, how was the two weeks?"

Max smiled and took a deep breath. "Dad, it was perfect. I mean it. We slept together and ate together. He took me to his studio and I listened to the new album that isn't out yet! It's good."

Bill smiled. This was great for Max and long overdue.

"We went to Avery Island with his parents and I ate a ton of food. Slade took me on a long ride on his motorcycle. We went to the coast. It was actually romantic."

"We rented a small hut thing for the weekend before I came back. We watched the waves roll in and talked. He held my hand and we walked down the freaking beach! It was perfect." Max sighed. He had been goo since then. "The most romantic weekend I ever experienced."

Bill smiled. "Good. I was worried and hadn't had time to talk all week. I've been dealing with lawyers and the new contract. It will be so great. I think we have worked it out."

Max was worried because he totally forgot about what his dad was doing. "Sorry, I should have asked. I was so caught up in my life."

Bill smiled at his son. "Max, it's about time that you had a life to get caught up in and I'm proud of you. I'm happy to see you finally happy. I like Slade. You are perfect together."

Max nodded. "Dad, thanks for your support, I mean it."

Bill nodded. That was enough of the touchy feely. He cleared his throat. "So, any plans while he's here?"

Max sighed. "Uh, I am working during the week so he's on his own. I think I want to maybe take him to the city Saturday. He loves to shop. Fill up his side of the closet."

"So, you are living together?"

Max smiled like a fool. "While he's here, yes. I stayed at his house while I was there. I even left my toothbrush."

Bill laughed.

Max blushed. "He told me to leave something."

"So, you choose a toothbrush?" Bill stared.

"Yes, so that he knows I'll come back. I couldn't leave anything else, uh, a pair of jeans." He stopped. "Oh, I did leave my motorcycle helmet. Does that count?" Max smiled. "I have a motorcycle helmet!"

Bill chuckled. "Man, you are doomed."

Max nodded. "I know it. I rode a motorcycle! That last ride was five hours. I spent five hours wrapped around Slade and it was wonderful. There and back. I love riding with him."

"Good. I can't believe that is the man you chose! I mean he's gorgeous but there are a lot of tattoos and piercings!" Bill stared at Max.

Max nodded as his dad was talking. "I know. He was talking about getting his ears pierced again. He wanted to get his Tragus pierced." Max smiled. "It's the little flap by your ear canal. Here." He pointed to his.

"There isn't room on his ears!" Bill smiled.

Max nodded. "I know. I still find a way to nibble them though!" He turned red and sighed.

Bill laughed.

"So, I was thinking about telling my office." Max watched his dad.

Bill nodded. "You should."

Max nodded. "I just don't want to be judged. I like keeping this quiet but they are getting nosey. They know about the flowers and the phone calls. I talk to Slade everyday at lunch and things are different. They noticed."

Bill laughed. "Even a blind man would notice, Max! You are so happy, it's ridiculous!"

"I know!" Max smiled. "I'm very happy and part of me is frightened."

Bill nodded. "Well, enjoy him, Max. I think you are handling things pretty well. I believe that people will be open-minded."

Max nodded. He really hoped so but he was still waiting to come out to his office. Those people were friends too. It scared him.

Bill hugged Max as he left. "I like him too, Max."

Max gasped. "Don't say that either! Are you trying to jinx this whole thing!"

"Go get your man!" Bill chuckled and watched his son rush out to pick up his boyfriend at the airport.

Slade knew something was up when Max was quiet all the way to the house. "What's up?"

Max sighed. "My dad. He said he liked you!"

Slade gasped. "Is he trying to ruin this?!" He was teasing Max. He knew that Max was worried.

"That's what I said..." Max was about to go on but realized that Slade was teasing. He glared. "Shut up!"

Slade just laughed as he got out of the Lexus. "Max, you kill me!"

Max stormed into the house and Bill was still there. "We're back."

Slade hugged Bill. "I heard you jinxed us."

Bill laughed as he released Slade. "Right!"

Max glared. "I hate you both."

Slade smiled. "You love us and you know it!"

Bill smiled. "I am heading home. I just wanted to get dinner put away and see Slade. How long this time?"

Slade smiled. "Uh, a while. I don't know. Until Max kicks me out."

Max glared. "Soon!" He smiled. "Night, Dad."

Bill waved and was out the front door. He knew they wanted to be alone.

"My room!" Max was ready and shook his head. "No time for the room. Ever have sex in the kitchen!"

Slade laughed. "No! It's no place to be naked." He was going to keep talking but Max wasn't kidding. He took Slade's shirt off and his pants were down. "Oh!"

Max kissed Slade and bit his ear. "Turn around. I need you!"

Slade kissed Max and obeyed him. Max took his man over the table in the kitchen. Slade laughed. "We are doing this in every room, Max!"

Max nodded and was catching his breath. Slade was true to his word and they had wild sex in every room downstairs. They gathered their clothes and Slade dragged Max up the stairs and Max stopped him.

"Slade. I wanted to show you something." Max stood in front the guest room. He opened it. It was empty. "I wanted to give this room to you for...whatever."

"I checked on pianos but nothing good will fit in this house. I figured you could get a keyboard or whatever, some drums would fit. I was going to buy some but you are the expert." Max couldn't talk because Slade was in his mouth. He dove on Max and they landed on the floor in the guest room, Slade's room, and he was putting it to good use.

Max woke up as the sun was starting to rise, it looked stormy today. He touched Slade's back and spread kisses over his neck and shoulders.

"I love waking up to you kissing me." Slade smiled and turned around. "Morning."

Max kissed Slade's mouth. "Morning. How did you sleep?"

Slade laughed. "I slept for maybe two hours!"

Max laughed. "Oops. I missed you. So, shopping?"

Slade nodded.

"So, did you get your ears pierced?" Max watched his man.

Slade nodded. "I did but you were too busy to see them."

"I was." Max smiled as Slade turned his head. Max saw the silver ring in his ear. "Oh, that is nice. I really like that. I didn't know that you could fit another piercing in there but you managed!" Max kissed his ear.

Slade smiled. "I was determined. You like it?"

Max nodded. "Yes. Better you than me!" He paused for a second. "Should I pierce something?"

Slade shook his head. "No!" He cleared his throat. "I mean that you can if you want but it's not really you. I like you just as you are. I love how vanilla you are, Max. I wouldn't change a thing."

Max smiled. "Okay. I don't want to either. I'm fine being vanilla and I love that you are pistachio or...chocolate chunk or something."

Slade smiled. "Oh, Max. Thanks for accepting me as I am. I know I'm strange."

"Not to me. Slade, I never felt so comfortable. I like it." Max smiled. "I'm making love to you, Slade Press." He rolled onto Slade and loved him before breakfast. He knew for sure that he was in love with Slade and this sealed it. Max was so afraid to get hurt that he would never say it out loud.

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