Wednesdays Brief

I chose this photo for this week's prompt (there were 4 to choose from)  Tom and Ben are having an end of the season party.  

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Gooseberry by Lily Sawyer

Fall was Ben's favorite season; he loved the cooler temperatures and loved looking out their back picture window at the myriad of colors Mother Nature painted on the woods behind their home. He loved taking pictures of it all.

The weather usually cooled down by the middle of October in Lancaster, but this year it stayed on the warm side. Ben was taking advantage of the unseasonably warm weather. He decided to throw an end of the season party in their backyard. Tom found him in the kitchen, preparing some of the dishes he'd be serving.

"Mmm, here’s my favorite chef. I was wondering where you were at. I should have known I'd find you in your favorite spot—in the kitchen." Ben felt Tom wrap his arms around him and kiss the back of his neck. He put his knife down long enough to turn his head to kiss his man.

"Second favorite spot. The bedroom is my number one spot."

"Hey, what’s that?" Tom looked down at the cutting board in front of Ben.

"That? It's kiwi fruit. I'm cutting it up to put into my fruit salad." Ben showed Tom the bowl containing cut-up strawberries, pineapples, and grapes. He added the kiwis he’d just sliced into the bowl and mixed it with a large spoon.

"Kiwi? I've never seen them before."

"Here, try some." Ben took a slice and fed it to his husband.

"Mm, they taste kind of like strawberries."

"Yeah, they do. Kiwis are also known as Chinese gooseberries...Oh!" Ben felt Tom pinch his butt. "Silly." He swatted at him. "Not that kind of goose."

"I like my kind of goosing better." Tom's lips found his and they kissed.

"Tom, I'll never get this done, and our guests will be here in about half an hour. I have hamburger patties and chicken marinating in my special BBQ sauce."

"The one I can't get enough of?" Tom licked his chops just thinking about it.

"Yeah, that's the one. Now, go get the BBQ ready."

"But I'll get a rain check on the goosing, right?"

"You bet." Ben smiled as he watched his man make his way out the door. They’d made an arrangement that they'd share the cooking. Ben loved to cook and so did Tom. Tom had to take a turn cooking at the station.

Tom was such a good cook, he’d won the local chili cook-off two years in a row.  He’d also laid claim to the title of Grill Master, and Ben was only too happy to watch Tom in his element, firing up the BBQ.

Their guests arrived; three couples they’d known for years.

“You just have to give me the recipe for this marinade, Ben, it’s out of this world.” Georgia told Ben. She was married to Frank, who worked with Ben at the real estate office.

“Of course. I’ll make sure you get it before you leave.” He’d gotten a few more requests. The fruit salad bowl was empty. Tom, who told him he would take care of the dishes, took the empty plates inside.  

After dinner was done and their guests had left, Ben joined Tom on the sofa in front of the fireplace. 

“I don’t know when I’ve been this happy,” Tom admitted to Ben.  Smokey had joined them on the sofa; he was laid out on Ben’s lap, fast asleep. Ben’s head rested on Tom’s shoulder; the firefighter had his arms wrapped around him. They fell asleep on the couch, smiles on their faces.

TBC

Here are the links to my fellow flashers

Tali      m/m

Nephylim     m/m

Michael Mandrake     m/m

Cia Nordwell    m/m

Michael Barnette     m/m    flash virgin!!!!!!

Elyzabeth VaLey      m/f

MA Church     m/m

Julie Lynn Hayes m/m