Justin turned to look at Brian lying peacefully on his side. It was unusual for him to awaken before the older man. Justin had never been a "morning person," especially after one of their marathon combination fucking and love-making sessions like the one they had last night. He sighed in contentment, feeling Brian's arm wrapped possessively around his waist. Justin always felt so safe and protected when he lay snuggled next to his partner, his hand on Brian's chest listening to his lover's heartbeat. The fact that he and Brian had been able to discuss what had been going on for the last few days was evidence of just how much their relationship had matured, especially over the last year. Brian had been trying harder to verbally express his love to Justin, even though he would always be better at SHOWING him. Which is not always such a bad thing, Justin thought, smiling. Their sex life was as exciting as always. Because they knew each other so well by now, they knew instinctively what pleased each other, and were now consummate experts at giving each other pleasure. But when it came to their relationship, familiarity had definitely NOT bred boredom.

Sunlight poured through the loft windows as Justin continued to relish being cocooned with Brian. It helped him to see things more clearly and made Justin feel much better about the unsolicited gifts. It's like I told Brian, I'll just throw them out and forget about them. It's no big deal – just some guy with a crush.

Justin's thoughts were interrupted just then by a pair of hazel eyes staring back at him. "You're awake."

"I'm glad to see you're putting that 1500 score on your SAT to good use," Brian remarked, smirking. He pulled Justin closer to him and peppered his face with light kisses before pulling back to glance at the clock. "And while I'd love to stay here and see what other super-intelligent comments you have to impart, if I don't get up right now I'll be late for work," he said, somewhat regretfully.

Justin glanced down. "Looks like you're already up," he said smiling seductively, inching closer to his partner until both their bodies were touching full length.

Brian groaned slightly as he felt Justin's erection brush against him. "Sunshine, you're not playing fair here," he complained. "You'll just have to join me in the shower to take care of my little problem," he added, eyebrows rising in challenge. Brian pulled the covers back and, like some sleek cat, poured his body from the bed. He held out a long arm toward Justin, who stood up to clasp his hand. Giving the blond a more passionate kiss, Brian gently tugged him toward the bathroom to take care of his "condition" before changing for work.

Thanks to his talk with Brian yesterday and their "extracurricular activities last night," Justin was able to concentrate more fully on his current project, devoting several hours in the studio until well into the afternoon. He sighed in relief. There had been no other deliveries made since yesterday, and he was hopeful the "boyfriend wannabe" had finally given up his crusade and moved on to another target.

His right hand was beginning to cramp when he decided it was time for a short lunch break. While he heated up a frozen dinner in the microwave upstairs, he noticed the mail had been delivered through the front door slot below. Walking back upstairs to the loft to retrieve his lunch from the kitchen, he was barely mindful of the various pieces of mail he had collected from the foyer. Because he and Brian both owned businesses, it was not uncommon for the two of them to receive several pieces of mail daily, so today's assortment was nothing out of the ordinary. Placing them absentmindedly on the coffee table, he tackled the chicken parmesan dinner while he leafed through the latest edition of Artist's Magazine.

Justin was putting the finishing touches on his latest creation when Brian arrived home from Kinnetik. "Hey, Sunshine," he called, walking over to his partner and wrapping him in his lean arms to bestow a thorough kiss on the artist. Justin's smile was radiant as he pulled back from his lover. "Hey, yourself, Mr. Kinney."

"And how was your day, dear?" Brian smiled as he responded in a falsetto voice, continuing to hold the blond tenderly.

"Very productive, actually. I got my latest painting completed today," he announced proudly. "The client who commissioned it will be glad to hear it's done. He promised me a bonus, in fact, if I got it finished before the end of this week. He wants to put it in his new office, and he's planning on moving in this weekend." He grasped Brian's upper arms and squeezed them lightly as he flirted with him. "I might have to take my favorite guy out on the town for a lobster dinner to celebrate. What do you think he'll say?" He asked innocently.

"I'll think he'd be crazy to pass up a date with such a sexy guy," he whispered, moving closely to rub the blond's nose in an Eskimo kiss. Moving down to nuzzle the pale neck, he drawled huskily, "Just don't forget to save room for dessert at home afterward," eliciting a delicious shiver from his partner.

Justin cleared his throat. "Sounds like a very sound nutritional plan, Mr. Kinney. I'll go call the man now and ask him if he's available….." Justin didn't make it very far before he heard a pretend growl nearby as his lover wrapped his arms around the slender waist from behind. "Don't you even KID about that, Sunshine," he warned, whispering softly in his ear, attempting but not quite succeeding in keeping a hint of vulnerability from creeping into his voice. It never ceased to amaze him how this young man could make his emotions so susceptible and exposed, but cause his spirit to soar. No one had ever succeeded in doing that before Justin came along, and Brian had no intention of ever giving that euphoric feeling up.

"Well, then, since you're offering to take the guy's place instead, why don't I go change out of my paint-splattered duds for something more presentable?" He smiled warmly at the brunet as he walked into the loft to change.

Brian watched his partner's adorable ass strut away before turning to look for the day's mail; he was expecting an important document from his CPA and was told it was mailed yesterday. Looking around, he spotted the mail perched on the coffee table. He sorted through various bills and junk advertisements, finally locating the envelope he was looking for, when he also noticed a flat, square, white Mylar envelope addressed to Justin in care of Sunshine Studios. There was no return address on the package, however.

Justin returned to the loft's living room at that moment, wearing a pair of linen dress slacks and a dark navy cashmere sweater, anxious to take his "favorite guy" out on the town. "What's that?" he asked Brian, noticing the package his partner was holding up.

"That's what I'D like to know, Sunshine. It's addressed to you. Why don't you open it up?" Justin noticed the man's eyes had darkened and a slight scowl had appeared on his handsome face.

Justin hesitated; he did not want their pleasant evening to be spoiled somehow. "Uh, why don't we just open it when we get back, Brian? I'm really hungry and it can wait. Please," he added, softly.

Brian, however, was not to be deterred. "No, Justin," he said softly but firmly. "Open it now." A sense of dread was slowly permeating the room's atmosphere as he held the package out to the artist.

Sighing, Justin nervously took the package from Brian's outstretched hand and located a pair of scissors. Brian watched intently as he opened the package and slid out what appeared to be a CD in a plastic case. He could tell there was a jacket cover on the case with some sort of design, and a note that was taped to the front with Justin's name written on it.

Justin pulled the folded note first from the case. Before he opened it up, he looked more closely at the case itself. Justin recognized with a shock the photo of himself appearing on the front of the CD; it had to have been taken just last week when he was at his latest art show, because it showed him standing next to one of his paintings that had sold for several thousand dollars that night. It was clearly a candid shot of him, and not one taken formally, as he had not actually posed for any photos. Someone had apparently taken the photo of him without his knowledge. Justin stole a glance at his partner nearby, who by the look on his face was realizing the same thing.

The blond then turned the homemade CD over to examine the back, which turned out to be a list of songs evidently contained on the CD. The songs, which ran the gamut of musical tastes, ranged from such titles as "I Want to Kiss You All Over" to "Sexy Boy" to "Can't Help Falling in Love with You." Justin's face flushed red in embarrassment and awkwardness as he continued silently reading the rest of the other titles, some of which he recognized and some he did not, but each consisting of a recurrent theme: "Sexual Healing," "Take My Breath Away," "Some Like it Hot," "Open Your Heart to Me," "Vehicle," and "The Way You Make Me Feel."

"Well, at least your fucking secret admirer has an eclectic taste in music," Brian said sarcastically, unable to hide the anger in his voice as he peered from behind Justin's shoulder to look over the list. He snaked a hand around Justin to place a hand on the CD to steady it, as Justin's nervousness caused it to shake.

"Just forget it, Brian," Justin said pleadingly, attempting to wrestle the CD loose from Brian's grasp. Brian, however, firmly wrapped his hand around it, refusing to budge.

"How can I forget it, Justin? Your fucking secret admirer has seen to that, hasn't he?" Brian snatched the CD away from his lover and threw it violently away. Justin jumped at the sound of the CD case shattering on the wooden floor in the open room.

Brian turned his attention to the piece of paper still clutched in his lover's now trembling hand. "Let's see the note, Justin," he said roughly. "Let's see what piece of literary genius he's written THIS time."

"Brian, please," Justin begged. "Let's just throw it away and not even read it. Don't give him any more power over us. He's not worth it."

"Justin, I've about had it with this game he's playing. Who the fuck does he think he is?" he snarled. Looking at Justin, he took a deep breath before continuing in a more gentle tone. "We can't just ignore this is happening, Sunshine." He realized the intensity of his feelings, the HATRED he was beginning to feel for this unknown stranger, was actually beginning to frighten his partner. That was the last thing Brian wanted to do to the man he loved so deeply. Holding out his outstretched hand, he continued in the same soothing tone, "Let me see it. Come on," he urged the blond.

Justin pursed his lips together tightly before finally handing the folded note over to Brian. Chewing on a fingernail nervously, he held his breath as the older man opened it slowly and silently read the latest message addressed to his lover:

While you listen to this, think of us and the beautiful music we'll soon be making together forever. Anxiously awaiting our reunion. Your Secret Admirer.

"Fucking piece of shit! I'll KILL the son of a bitch when I get my hands on him! Who the FUCK does he think he is?!" Brian could no longer control his fury. He crumpled the note into a tight ball with both hands and threw it on the floor. Walking over to the remains of the damaged CD case, he smashed his boot down on it to thoroughly finish it off. He grabbed a lighter from the nearby coffee table and retrieved the note, preparing to burn it to a crisp, before Justin reached out a hand to stop him.

"No, Brian. Think! We may NEED this to help prove who's sending these. I don't like this any more than YOU do, but I think we should keep it just in case."

"Why, are you planning on keeping a scrapbook now, Sunshine?" Brian knew the minute it came out of his mouth that he had made a mistake; Justin suddenly looked as if he had been slapped. "I'm sorry, Justin," he said hurriedly, pulling the man into an embrace, the balled note still clutched in his hand. "I didn't mean that," he said, whispering in the other man's ear. "I love you," he murmured. "And the thought of someone stalking your every move fucking terrifies me. If I ever lost you….."

"Shh." Justin wrapped his arms firmly around the other man, uttering soothing words of nonsense as he laid his head on his partner's chest. He felt the older man's heart beating rapidly as he reassured him, "Nothing's going to happen to me, Brian. Not when you're around to protect me."

"Justin," he simply responded softly, as his arms tightened around the artist. The anger slowly subsided, but not the fear. Brian resolved that tomorrow he would find a way to stop this nonsense. For now, however, he was content to hold the man he loved in his arms and keep him safe from harm.