He scanned the room looking for an appropriate table, and settled on one in the far left corner. As he made his way towards the table, he looked around to make sure Ollie hadn’t arrived before him and was already seated somewhere else. He doubted that was the case, but he looked nonetheless. That possibility wasn’t just unlikely because he was ten minutes early but also because Ollie was perpetually late.

Matt had been so busy lately that he hadn’t had an opportunity to see Ollie in a while, and a lot had happened since they had last seen each other. Their schedules had been conflicting, and Matt was really happy they had been able to arrange to meet up today. He couldn’t wait to see his friend; he had so much to tell him.

Picking a spot, Matt took a seat at the scarred wood table and opted not to get anything until Ollie showed up. Instead he sat there absorbing the ambiance of the establishment. The style of the coffee house was unconventional, a former two-story modern sporting a kind of rogue sophistication that had been turned into a chic, ultra-trendy cafe.

Plush, overstuffed leather armchairs, such as the one he was sitting on, surrounded square mahogany tables that hosted unique configurations carved into the borders of the wood. There were dark, polished wood floors and colorful Persian rugs thrown here and there. The lighting was muted and the colors were rich - a visual manifestation for the assortment of drinks. Overall, it was woodsy and comfortable, making the patrons want to spend the entire day there.

Matt picked up the beverage menu and perused the list. They mostly served a variety of coffees and hot drinks, which Matt didn’t particularly like, but he took his time going over the list anyway. They also had sandwiches, bagels and all other types of pastries and baked goods.

Matt knew that Ollie was going to be late; it was inevitable. For as long as Matt had known him, Ollie had never been on time for anything, but his tardiness was part of his appeal, and just another one of the things that endeared him to Matt. Ollie was Matt’s best friend and the closest person he had in the world next to Adam.

Oliver Miller, Ollie for short, was the most entertaining person that Matt had ever met. He was outspoken, funny and interesting. He had an exceptionally dynamic personality that Matt found captivating, but it was because his character had a goodness that was completely unblemished that people couldn’t help but gravitate towards him.

He had the ability to cheer Matt up, no matter what his mood was. All Matt had to do was talk to Ollie and he automatically felt better. Matt didn’t know a single person who didn’t like Ollie. Well, maybe he did, but not like that; Brick was another matter entirely. Matt didn’t have any siblings and neither did Ollie, but they were so close they considered each other brothers.

Ollie had dark brown hair, beautiful clear gray eyes and stood only an inch taller than Matt at 5’10, although his body was much more athletic. Ollie was in really good shape, his body was muscular and defined, something he had worked very hard to achieve. Ollie took great care of his appearance, not because he was vain or anything, but rather because it was something that he had wanted for so long and he was finally able to have. Ollie’s main goal, as far as appearance was concerned, was to look healthy, it was just a plus that he was also gorgeous.

Matt and Ollie had met at a time in Matt’s life when he had really needed a friend. Fortunately for him, Ollie had needed one too. They had met in the hospital, right after Matt’s step dad had put him there. It had been a difficult period for him; he didn’t know where his mother was because he hadn’t seen her in several years and his sole guardian, his stepfather, had just raped him and put him in the hospital.

After talking to the police, Matt had reverted into himself. He had slipped into a depression and nothing could seem to get him out of it. The hospital staff had insisted he see the hospital therapist to try and get him to come to terms with what had happened, but Matt had been defiant. He would go to the sessions, because he had to, but he would remain silent the whole time. Eventually, everyone had given up and decided to leave him alone. That’s when he had met Ollie.

He had been a guardian angel in the form of a very sickly boy. When they first met, Ollie had been in the hospital for a while getting treatment for fulminating eosinophilic leukemia. He had been 16-years-old at the time, six months younger than Matt. He had been pretty pathetic; bald, underweight and very sickly. The first time Matt had seen him, he would have guessed Ollie to be no more than ten years old.

They had both been in the Intensive Care Unit, Matt because of the condition of his back and Ollie because he had just undergone a bone marrow transplant that had been unsuccessful. The prognosis had been grim; both Ollie’s physicians and his parents had pretty much lost all hope. But, Ollie was a fighter. He had refused to give up and insisted that the doctors try again.

Matt and Ollie had become friends - mostly because Ollie had refused to let him wallow in his self-pity the way the nurses had. When Ollie wanted something, he wouldn’t stop trying until he got it, and he wanted to befriend Matt. He came by Matt’s bed for a solid week before Matt would even look at him, and it took another week after that before he spoke.

Each day, Ollie would come by in his wheel chair while Matt lay on his stomach, stubbornly staring at the wall, hoping to ignore Ollie until he got bored and went away. Usually it would work, except Ollie would just come back the next day and try again. He did this everyday until Matt spoke, and when he finally did, it was as though a dam had broken.

He had talked and talked, letting it all come out. Confiding in Ollie things that he hadn’t ever told anyone before. From that day onwards, the two of them became the best of friends. At the time, Ollie had been very sick, and Matt had been scared that Ollie would die and he would lose his best friend after just finding him. But Ollie was tough, much tougher than Matt, and had managed to pull through.

Ollie had taught him one of the most important lessons of his life. There he had been, wallowing in self-pity when Ollie was looking at death everyday and had managed to keep his chin up. Two months after their initial meeting Ollie had had another transplant and it had worked.

After that, the two boys formed a bond stronger than blood and became inseparable. And in the weeks that Matt had been laid up, recovering from the injuries his step dad had inflicted, Ollie had been like a godsend. They had been best friends since.

Matt was pulled out of his reverie. "Matty!" he heard someone call and, before he even turned around, he knew that is was Ollie.

Ollie had this annoying habit of calling him "Matty" instead of "Matt" or "Matthew" and had been doing it since they had first met. Ollie was the only person that Matt let get away with calling him that. He looked over and spotted Ollie rushing across the room towards his table wearing a bright pink collar-shirt and the tightest pair of jeans that Matt had ever seen. He wondered how Ollie had even managed to get them on.

When Ollie reached the table, he leaned down and gave Matt an exaggerated sloppy kiss on the cheek, making a loud "moi" sound that had Matt smiling uncontrollably at his antics. Ollie never failed to make him smile. It was Ollie’s infectious, feel-good personality that had helped Matt make it through the time he had spent in the hospital. Ollie propped his paperboy satchel up against the leg of the table and sat down.

"Hi, Ollie," Matt said with a grin.

"Darling, you look amazing! That glow! Somebody’s been getting some protein," he said with a mischievous snicker and an elaborate eyebrow waggle. Matt couldn’t help the blush that came into his cheeks.

Ollie spotted the redness on his face and said, "Oh, my God. You did it, didn’t you? I can’t believe this! You and Adam finally got bu-sy. You got laid!"

Matt couldn’t help himself, he laughed and said, "Yeah."

"I feel like a mother on her daughter’s wedding day," Ollie said with a mock sniff. "My little boy is becoming a man."

It was impossible to keep a straight face while hanging out with Ollie. He wanted to know all the details right away. Before he even got his jacket off, he had already asked more than five questions.

Before Matt could respond, their waitress showed up. "What can I get you boys today?" she asked with a smile.

"Let’s see," Ollie responded, "I’ll have a skinny latte with two shots of almond, a bagel with cream cheese and applebutter and my friend here will take an amaretto fudge cappuccino and a sandwich with fresh ground lean sirloin, lettuce, tomato, and red onion." Matt didn’t protest when Ollie ordered for him without even asking him what he’d like. They knew each other so well that they could do that.

"Coming right up," the waitress said.

After their server left, Ollie remarked, "I know you don’t drink coffee but it seems like you’ve been enjoying a lot of firsts lately, so why not have an indulgent caffeine drink be one of them?" Matt just laughed. God, he had missed Ollie these past two weeks.

"Finally one of us is getting some! Start at the beginning. Tell me everything, and don’t leave a single thing out. I want all the juicy details," Ollie said eagerly.

"Well, we didn’t just fall in bed together if that’s what you’re wondering," Matt began while Ollie listened intently.

Starting at the beginning, Matt told him everything that had transpired in the last two weeks. He spoke slowly and Ollie listened attentively without interrupting. He had just gotten to the previous night when their lunch arrived.

Once the waitress had placed their drinks and food in front of them, she turned and left, allowing Matt to resume his story.

"So after he said no," Matt continued, "I lay in bed feeling hurt and confused until I decided to take matters into my own hands, so to speak"

"And?" Ollie prompted.

"I went down on him while he was asleep" Matt admitted self-consciously.

Ollie quickly looked up from the drink he had been stirring. The two men stared at each other silently for a few seconds before they both burst out laughing.

"Gumption, that’s what I like. And it’s about time," Ollie said, nodding in approval, "sex is good for you."

Ollie was of the belief that every gay man should have as much sex as possible because it kept one looking young. This was a belief that Ollie adhered to religiously, hence the reason for his overactive social life.

"It was amazing," Matt admitted and then blushed profusely.

"I bet it was," Ollie agreed.

"Oh! I almost forgot," Matt said, remembering the news they had received that morning. "Magda, Adam’s sister, is getting married in two weeks."

"Tell Adam I said congrats," Ollie said.

"Anyway, we’re going out Friday night to celebrate the engagement. It’ll be me, Adam, you and Brick."

Matt watched Ollie’s face fall at the mention of the other man. He slowly put down his sandwich and Matt could see the wheels turning behind Ollie’s eyes and knew even before he spoke that he was about to make some lame excuse to escape the dinner.

"Come on, Ollie," Matt said, "you can’t keep avoiding him."

"Says who?" Ollie challenged childishly.

"When is this thing between the two of you going to end anyway?" Matt asked. 

"There is no thing between us," Ollie insisted.

"Oh, come on. Every time you see him your eyes are fairly falling out of your head and I have to wipe the drool from your chin." Matt grinned, watching as Ollie’s cheeks heated and filled with color.

"It’s not like that. You know how he feels about me," Ollie sounded a little sadder as he spoke.

"I think that the two of you need to stop fighting long enough to get to know each other," Matt replied.

"He thinks he’s too good for me," Ollie said with a little anger, "he thinks I’m a slut."

"That’s not true, Ollie," Matt insisted, "and you don’t exactly help the situation by always trying to provoke him."

"I don’t -" Ollie began but Matt cut him off.

"Yes, you do. You act over the top just to get a rise out of him." Matt said. "Brick is a nice guy. He’s more conservative than you and me, but he is a good guy. You should give him a chance." Matt could tell from the stubborn set of Ollie’s chin that he wasn’t going to do any such thing, but at least he had tried.

"Listen, it would really mean a lot to Adam and I if you were both there," Matt said cajolingly. "Do you think you could stand being in the same room and having dinner with Brick for a few hours? For me?" Matt added with a pitiful blink of his lashes.

"Oh, alright" Ollie said as he caved. "But just dinner, nothing more. And I’ll even try not to fight with Mr. Conservative." Ollie spoke grudgingly but the smile was back on his face.

"Yay!" Matt said. "You’ll see it won’t be so bad. Brick likes you."

"Right," Ollie said with a sarcastic snort.

"He does," Matt said adamantly.

"He looks at me like I’m the dirtiest thing he’s ever seen," Ollie said. He spoke quietly, but Matt knew that he was hurt by Brick’s behavior. On the outside, Ollie was brash and wild, but on the inside he was as soft as a marshmallow. Matt knew how much Ollie had liked Brick, and it hurt him that Brick didn’t like him back.

The thing was that Matt knew Brick and he knew that Brick wouldn’t intentionally hurt someone; at least he didn’t think so. He had a feeling there was more to the story than Ollie had let on, but he had no idea what it was. In his opinion, Brick and Ollie were perfect for each other, but they both seemed determined to dislike each other.

"Look," Matt began, "I know that you and Brick have had some tension in the past, but whatever it is, I’m sure you guys can put your differences aside and try to get along for one night."

Ollie looked like he wanted to argue, but Matt quickly said, "please."

Ollie looked resigned before saying, "I want to, Matt, honestly I do, but … he always acts like an ass to me."

"Okay, how about I ask Adam to have a word with him? Ask him to behave?" Matt asked.

Ollie looked a little appeased and the suggestion, and said, "okay."

Matt heaved a mental sigh at Ollie’s agreement. Quickly changing the topic, he asked, "So what about you? Are you seeing anybody?"

Ollie sighed and stated, "I’m always seeing somebody." He didn’t sound too happy when he made the declaration. For as long as Matt had known Ollie, Ollie had been a "free spirit". Free with his body and free with his love.

"Oookay," Matt said carefully, "and?"

Sighing again, Ollie said, "Lately I’ve been feeling … dissatisfied. I mean look at me. I fought cancer and beat death, but for what? I have nothing to show for it. Is this what you would call a life? Sleeping with a different guy each night, having no commitments, no relationships, no one worthwhile in my life." He had become increasingly agitated as he spoke.

Matt wasn’t sure what to say, so he kept quiet and let Ollie finish.

"I want what you have," Ollie looked him straight in the eye as he made the announcement, "I want something solid, lasting."

"You can have that," Matt said, but before he could finish, Ollie interrupted him by snorting.

"Yeah, right," he said sarcastically.

"You can," Matt stressed. "You’re a smart, funny, good looking, wonderful guy and you will find someone."

Ollie stared at Matt silently for a long minute. The two men shared a look, before Ollie nodded his head and looked away. Matt wanted to add that he thought what Ollie was searching for was already right in front of him, but he held his tongue.

They spent over two hours at the coffee shop, just talking and laughing and reconnecting. They finished their lunches then had dessert. By the time they were done with dessert, it was already late afternoon.

"So, you’re going to come this Friday right?" Matt asked again as the left the coffeehouse.

Ollie gave a woeful groan and acquiesced, "sure."

"You’ll see, it’ll be fun," Matt encouraged.

"Yeah, as fun as a root canal," Ollie retorted.

*****

On his way back to Adam’s apartment, Matt decided to stop by the market and pick up some things for dinner. He was going to make steak, Adam’s favorite. He purchased four steaks along with some onions, chopped shallots, garlic, Burgundy wine, margarine, flour, beef stock and crushed tomatoes, everything needed for his recipe.

After gathering all the ingredients and paying for his purchases, he had planned on heading back to the apartment, but on his way there he spotted a Barnes and Noble and decided to peek inside. Even though he was loaded down with bags of food, he hadn’t been to a bookstore in so long that he decided to make a quick stop anyway. He wasn’t going to make any purchases, but he just wanted to see what new books were out.

Upon entering, he was hit with the cool blast of the air conditioner and his olfactory perception of ink. The smell of books and the soft classical music in the background made Matt want to curl up on one of the soft couches scattered around, open up one of the bestsellers and just start reading. Instead, he just wandered up and down the isles of bookshelves, glancing at titles along the spines of random books until he somehow found himself in the erotica section.

Pausing at one particularly suggestive title, he reached out, and before he could stop himself, yanked the book from the shelf. Glancing around to make sure that nobody was looking; he opened up the book entitled "Big Poles for Tight Holes".

It was a compilation of short gay erotic stories combined with sexy abstract photos of hot men in enticing positions. All the photos were black and white and very explicit. Matt felt himself getting hard in his pants at the erotic imagery. While flipping through the pages, he stumbled across one story called, "My First Time".

His ears heated at the title and he looked up nervously, glancing around to make sure there was still no one looking. Returning his attention to the story, he read steadily until the end, stopping only to look at the pictures. It was the story of a college freshman, Ed, and his first time taking his boyfriend.

Both the story and the pictures fascinated Matt. He couldn’t help thinking of doing the things that Ed described with Adam. He was getting hot just thinking about it. Just then, he looked up and found one of the booksellers watching him. The guy gave him a knowing smile and winked.

Matt blushed furiously at being discovered and hurriedly shut the book, pushing it back into the shelf out of place. He picked up his bags off the floor and made his way out of the bookstore. His cheeks were the same color as the tomatoes he had just bought, and he walked quickly until he was about a mile away from the store then he slowed his pace.

He took his time, strolling almost, until he reached Adam’s apartment. Hauling all of the groceries up the stairs was a struggle, but he managed to get it done without any accidents. Using his key, he let himself inside and deposited everything on the dining table.

Adam would be home at seven, which meant that Matt had about half an hour before he arrived. Deciding to kill some time, Matt made his way over to the television and flopped onto the couch. He grabbed the remote control off the table and began flipping aimlessly through the channels, looking for something interesting.

Finally, he settled on the Gravity Games on ESPN, but he didn’t pay much attention. His mind kept going back to the book in the bookstore. He had been really excited by what he had read and seen. There were so many things that he wanted to try and do with Adam. Everything that they had done so far had been mind blowing and he couldn’t wait until they did more.

As soon as the thought entered his head, it was quickly followed by another one. Maybe tonight they could …? Matt felt his cock stir at the thought of that possibility.

Deciding that he might as well start dinner, Matt removed all of the groceries from the bags and placed them on the counter. He washed his hands then put onions, shallots and garlic into a saucepan. Next, he added three tablespoons of the burgundy and then let the vegetables simmer until all the wine had evaporated.

He added the margarine into the mix and, when it had melted, he stirred in flour. Matt let everything cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. He placed the beef stock in and let it cook until the mixture was boiling and smooth, then he added the tomatoes. He allowed everything to sit on the burner for ten minutes then poured in the remaining Burgundy and waited five minutes longer.

Finally, he put butter in a large skillet and put in all four steaks because he was unsure of how much Adam would eat. He cooked the steaks to doneness and then removed them from the pan and put them in the oven, adding the garlic, onions and mushrooms with salt and pepper. He made some canned Pillsbury biscuits and some potatoes to go with the steak.

He had just set about making the table when he heard keys in the front door seconds before it opened to admit Adam.

"Hi," he said as he entered, "something smells good."

He walked over to the dining table where Matt was standing and pulled him in for a slow kiss.

"Yum yum," he murmured against his lips before kissing him again.

"I hope you’re hungry," Matt said when they finally broke apart. "Dinner should be ready in about twenty minutes.

"Oh, okay. I’m going to jump in the shower then," Adam said, then turned and headed for the bedroom.

Adam took one of the fastest showers he could manage, shaving and dressing in under twenty minutes. He was barefoot and pulling his t-shirt over his wet hair when he re-emerged in the kitchen. Matt was just laying out a plate of steak on the table, and he came up behind him. Adam sniffed Matt’s hair and pushed the slight bulge in his jeans against Matt’s butt.

Matt giggled at Adam’s attention before they both pulled back and sat down. Without preamble Adam reached out and piled his plate with two pieces of steak, some potatoes and biscuits. Matt watched as Adam cut the medium-well-done steak and took the first bite.

Adam let his eyelids droop at the pleasure that bombarded his taste buds with the first bite. The sound he made in the back of his throat was one of pure guttural delight. Matt bit the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling, but he was secretly pleased that Adam liked his cooking.

Adam proceeded to eat the meal with gusto and demolished everything on his plate. He went back for seconds, then thirds, and by the time he was done eating Matt could no longer contain his smile. Adam was totally content when he finished and leaned back in his seat with a sigh.

He said, "God, Matt, you keep cooking like this and I’ll turn into a porker."

Matt smiled and rose from his seat to begin clearing the table. He had eaten just half a piece of steak with some potatoes and a biscuit. That was okay because he wasn’t really hungry for food; there was something else he wanted to taste. Adam rose from the dining table and made his way to the living room where he sat down on an armchair waiting for Matt to finish clearing up.

When Matt was through putting all the meager leftovers away, he headed back to the living room. When he reached the doorway he paused and took a deep breath for courage. He couldn’t wait any longer. It was time for him to pitch his idea to Adam. He came over to his chair and hauled one of his legs over both of Adam’s, straddling his lap.

"I was thinking," he began, "that maybe tonight we could … you know, do it," Matt blushed as he made his admission.

Adam’s eyebrows drew low and he looked at Matt questioningly before he said, "there’s no rush."

He kissed along Matt’s jaw line, down his neck to the base where his pulse beat. He used his teeth to draw on the hollow of his throat. Matt drew in a quick breath and his fingers tightened on Adam’s biceps. Adam placed his hands on either side of Matt’s hips and pulled him close until their crotches were pressed together. He could feel Matt’s hard on bumping against his own.

Matt could feel himself slipping into the ecstasy of Adam’s lovemaking. He tried valiantly to hold onto his senses until they reached a decision about the topic at hand, but he was fighting a losing battle. Adam was far too experienced, and Matt’s body was far too eager, for Matt to keep his concentration.

Adam loved the taste of Matt. He ran his tongue along Matt’s skin, making circles with the tip. As they kissed, his hands moved in exploration over Matt’s muscles. He let his fingers roam, stroking Matt’s silky hair and caressing his back. Matt no longer flinched when Adam touched his scars.

He grabbed a hold of the hem of Matt’s t-shirt and pulled it over his head. His hands felt cool against Matt’s skin and he pressed his lips in a kiss over Matt’s right nipple. Matt shuddered at the contact and slid his fingers over Adam’s scalp, pressing his face to his chest. His breathing changed, going hard as he pushed his hips up against Adam, trying to get as close as he could.

Adam wanted to fuck Matt, right that very second. He looked up and saw how heavy lidded Matt had become. He bent his head slightly and licked the tip of Matt’s flat left nipple, savoring the feel of the tight little nub against his tongue. Matt flinched at the charged contact and Adam couldn’t hold back the fierce male satisfaction he felt at having evoked the response.

Every time they were together, it took everything Matt had to keep from begging Adam to take him. His arousal was so strong that it hurt, bordering on physical pain. Before he knew what was happening, Adam rose from the armchair, lifting Matt as he did and moved them both over to the couch. He pinned Matt down, covering his body with his own and Matt couldn’t suppress a whimper when Adam’s denim-covered cock notched between his thighs, pressing against his own.

Matt’s hands went to Adam’s waist, grabbing at his shirt as he jerked it over Adam’s head. Matt wanted to run his fingers down Adam’s chest and touch the hard packed muscles of his abdomen. He needed to loosen Adam’s jeans and see if his cock was as thick and hard as it felt. Adam jerked against Matt when his hands trailed down to his abdomen, grazing the hairs that tapered into the waistband of his jeans.

Neither one of them seemed to have any control when Adam leaned down and kissed Matt again.

"God, you taste good," Adam said in a roughened voice that caused Matt to shiver with anticipation and pleasure. Matt closed his eyes trying to control the intensity of the feelings coursing through him.

"Touch me," Matt whispered. He arched his back, pushing against Adam’s shoulders wanting to get closer and escape at the same time. Their naked torsos touched and Matt clung to Adam, his body burning. Matt was aware of his jeans being loosened and Adam shifting so he could slide them down his legs where they pooled at his ankles.

Adam ran his hands over Matt’s exposed thighs, relishing the feel of his naked skin. He grasped the waistband of Matt’s underwear and pulled until Matt’s hard cock sprang free. Adam took hold of Matt’s penis with one hand and used his other to unbutton and shove down his own pants.

Matt barely had time to draw in a breath before he felt the thickness of Adam’s erection pressing against his own. Adam slid his fingers over Matt’s erection until he found the tiny slit at the head of his penis. He rubbed his thumb over the little opening causing Matt to twitch. He held Matt’s hips to still the movement and continued to fondle his genitals.

"Let’s make love tonight," Matt panted.

Adam stilled while nuzzling Matt’s collarbone, but only briefly. He wanted nothing more than to bury his cock in Matt’s snug little ass, but he knew it was too soon. He meant what he had said about taking it slowly and initiating Matt into sex gradually.

Despite this, Adam felt his cock harden and lengthen at the thought of fucking Matt. He knew that if he wasn’t careful he would end up doing just that. Pushing up on his arms, he lifted himself off of Matt’s body and threw his legs over the couch. Before he could rise however, Matt reached out and put a hand on his forearm, asking, "Where are you going?"

Adam smiled, and instead of answering he just got to his knees in front of Matt, pulling him into a sitting position and settling himself between Matt’s legs. He grasped onto Matt’s pants and yanked them off his feet along with his underwear. Matt’s penis sprang free of his clothing, pulsing and stiff.

Adam wasted no time encircling the base with his fist. He began to lap at the head of Matt’s penis in small hungry licks and then sucked on the head. Matt’s hips rose off the couch and his whole body shuddered at the feeling of Adam’s mouth on his member. He was incredibly turned on and was going to come any minute. He didn’t think he could hold off his orgasm for very long.

But he didn’t want to come in Adam’s mouth; he wanted them to make love. He wanted Adam to take him. He wanted to mimic what he’d seen in the book. He wanted to protest, but Adam’s mouth felt so good on his cock, and before he knew what was happening, his body was jerking as he came.

He couldn’t believe it; he’d just climaxed. Just like that he’d shot his load and it was all over. He was a little stunned. Adam hadn’t even taken his clothes off. His body tensed as Adam continued to nurse on his penis long after he was done coming. When he finally released Matt’s cock, Adam didn’t say much. He pulled Matt's pants the rest of the way off, then rose to his feet and took hold of his hand, and they headed to the bedroom together.