Chapter 1

A beautiful summer day was dawning in New York, cloudless and mild with temperatures in the mid eighties and a soft breeze wafting through the maze of glass and cement structures that made up the heart of this great city.

Inside a tiny hole-in-the wall one bedroom on West 45th Street, an errant sunbeam ventured in through the apartment's sole window, striking one of its sleeping occupants squarely in the face. The man grunted, rolling over in his bed and shifting a few inches to try and escape the unwelcome light, only to find his way blocked by a second body. With a sniff of surprise, he blinked open sleepy eyes and squinted, a perplexed look on his lean face. Then he smiled as consciousness caught up to him. How could he have forgotten that his boyfriend had spent the night with him?

Kurt looked so peaceful as he slept, his face half buried in a soft pillow that rested over his right arm. His cheeks were rosy with slumber and his lightly wavy chestnut hair tumbled in every direction. One thick lock was drooping down almost low enough to touch his lashes and Adam reached over, brushing the errant strands out of the way. Kurt's eyelids were twitching and a small smile curved his full red lips, suggesting that he was dreaming of something pleasant. At Adam's touch he instinctively shuffled closer, the arm not trapped by the pillow reaching out to tug him closer.

Adam kissed the sleeping man's face. Light pecks on his cheek, nose, eyelids; anywhere he could reach from this slightly awkward angle. Kurt woke with a low laugh. "That tickles," he mumbled, his long eyelashes fluttering as he opened his eyes and smiled at Adam, giving him a closed-mouth peck on the lips. "Good morning."

"Good morning, darling. Did you sleep well?"

"Mmm. Like a baby," he replied, his eyes drifting closed again.

Sighing with contentment, Kurt freed his other arm and shifted a little bit closer, wrapping his leg around Adam's. Neither man was clothed beneath the covers and they uttered soft moans as their arousals came into direct contact. For long, blissful minutes, they held each other and kissed while their bodies rocked, no urgency to the movements as they slowly caressed one another, taking the time to just enjoying this rare opportunity for a bit of leisurely morning pleasure.

"I love this," Adam said, moments after each of them had come to a gentle gasping climax. "Having you here in my arms as I awaken; being able to hold you and make love to you without the distractions of alarm clocks and roommates and our ever busy schedules."

Kurt kissed him on the collarbone, giving a tiny lick to the tattoo of a rose with a heart at its center that rested just below Adam's shoulder. "Me, too. I wish I wasn't on the winter to fall session at school. Rachel has been making me super jealous bragging about her summer vacation, but at the same time I'm so grateful for yours." He sighed, resting his head on Adam's shoulder as the other man shifted over to lie on his back, sharing Kurt's space as the stubborn sunbeam continued to occupy his own pillow. "I'm really going to miss you when you go back home to England."

For a moment, Adam froze, wondering whether he should spill his news now or wait until a better time. Then again, what better segue was he likely to get? "Well, actually," he said slowly, holding the word out for a few beats to get Kurt's full attention.

Sure enough, Kurt popped up like a prairie dog, resting on one elbow as he looked down into Adam's smiling face, his wide blue-green eyes full of hope. "What?"

"My application for the masters program has been approved," Adam told him, a wide grin breaking out as he spoke the words. He had been waiting for weeks, but the faculty and staff at NYADA tended to do things on their own schedule, with little regard for the desires of their anxious student body. "Apparently the finals project I did for my bachelor's degree last month caught their attention and they feel that I am, and I quote, "a bright light on the NYADA horizon, and an excellent candidate for our honors composition course". They really believe that I'm going to make it as a songwriter one day, Kurt. I've already applied for the necessary extension to my student visa. It arrived yesterday along with my acceptance letter."

Kurt threw himself forward, hugging Adam and muffling a sharp squeal of excitement into his shoulder. "Oh my God, Adam, why didn't you tell me? I am so proud of you! Some of the best composers on Broadway graduated from the NYADA masters program. Grammy winners, too! And selfishly, I'm so happy that you're going to be around for the next … how many years does it take anyway?"

"Three," he said. "At least for the program I'm attending. The actor and dancer programs are both two years, and I'll still be taking a number of those classes as well since I'd still like to be on the stage one day, but as it stands you and I will be graduating at about the same time. How do you feel about that, classmate?"

A delighted laugh chortled from Kurt's throat as he began kissing Adam with excited fervor. "That *kiss* is *kiss* so *kiss* amazing *kiss*. You are so getting laid for this!" Clambering to his knees, he fell across his surprised boyfriend's body in his rush to get at the well stocked bedside drawer.

Supplies secured, Kurt rolled them both with such eagerness that they nearly toppled right off the bed. Seeing the half-impressed, half-alarmed look on Adam's face, he started laughing. "Sorry, but it's not every day we get news like this. I intend to celebrate!"

"Oh, I'm all for that," Adam chuckled. "Just don't kill us before we get to the good part."

Kurt's eyes sparkled as he went back to expressing his pleasure with his lips. "I think you'll survive *kiss* un petite mort *kiss* mon amour. *kiss* Ou deux *kiss* Ou trios …"

Adam sighed deeply, arching into his loving touch. "Ah, Kurt, you know the language of love makes me utterly helpless."

Grinning wickedly, Kurt hitched his eyebrows. "C'est ce que je compte sur."

*Author's Note: Kurt says "I think you'll survive one 'little death' my love, or two, or three…" Then "That's what I'm counting on."*