Jake pulled his pants on and followed Orlando into the hall. The two blonde men standing in the spill of light from the living room turned at the same time and watched Orlando and Jake walk toward them. Jake was glad Orlando was running interference. He'd never seen a more penetrating gaze than the green-eyed man's.

As he came abreast of Orlando, Jake could feel Sean Bean's cool appraising stare gliding over his contours, from the top of his head to his bare feet and back up to his eyes. Sean smiled and Jake felt something tighten behind his pubic bone with a funny little ache. It was the same spasm of desire he felt when Heath grabbed him. Then Sean spoke.

"Hi, I'm Sean. You must be Jake. Viggo's told me a little about you. Glad to meet you."

In a mild daze, Jake took the hand Sean held out. The young man was a bit overwhelmed by the signals his body was sending him. Sean's voice was like sun-warmed honey poured over his body, and he couldn't seem to let go of the man's hand. It was becoming embarrassing.

"Sorry, sorry," Jake stammered, pulling his hand back.

"No harm done," Sean said. "Can you believe the dog's breakfast these two daft gits have cobbled up?"

"I'm not sure I …"

"He's saying Orli and I are crazy bastards for arranging this blind date," Viggo translated.

Jake nodded. "I'm a little surprised, too. I've always considered myself very open-minded, but I've never done anything like this."

"Vig and Orli have a way of making things seem reasonable and the next thing you know you're wearing a pink leather corset and a cock ring, licking Orli's toes while Viggo shags you blind. I'm telling you, son, run while you still can. Once they put the collar on you; you'll never get away from their perverted clutches."

Jake raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to scare me off, or lure me in?"

"If you could see yourself right now, you wouldn't have to ask that question," Sean said. "I'm bi-sexual and quite unapologetic about it. When the two of you came down the hall, it was the first time in recent memory that my eyes didn't go first to Orlando. At the risk of offending you, if I could have my fondest wish right now, you'd be completely naked and screaming my name while you came."

"Jakey's a moaner, not a screamer," Orlando said.

All three men looked at him.

"Well, he is. Back me up, Vig."

Viggo shrugged. "If we have to talk about it, I'd say Jake was pretty quiet."

"I was so overwhelmed I have no idea if I moaned, screamed or sang Do Ya Think I'm Sexy."

Orlando leaned back and Jake automatically supported him. "Jake's like you, Sean," Orlando said. "He's a top, or a bottom, depending on who he's with."

Jake looked down at Orlando. "Is that your considered opinion?"

"Well, I did carry out a field test," Orlando answered.

"And what was your control group?"

Orlando blinked and Jake kissed the top of his head.

"Forget I spoke," Jake said. "I always take the analogy too far."

"Self awareness," Sean said. "I like that."

"Yeah? You want to hear about the other options?" Jake asked. "Or are you ready for a test drive?"

Viggo laughed in surprise at Jake's sudden boldness, and soon they all joined in.

"You sounded for all the world like Orlando when he's randy," Sean said to Jake.

"I was trying to," Jake said. "I don't want you guys to think I'm a complete slut. I don't usually …"

Orlando rolled his eyes. "How many times have I heard this one?"

"I don't know; how many?" Viggo said, taking Orlando's wrist and pulling him from Jake's loose embrace.

Orlando's eyes widened at the faint undertone of Cro-Magnon in his Viggo's voice. It would have been undetectable to anyone else, but it sent a quick little shiver down Orlando's spine to make his groin vibrate in sympathy. He was going to get ravished again shortly, and he couldn't be more thrilled.

"Should we leave Sean and Jakey alone?" Orlando said, brushing his ass surreptitiously against Viggo's crotch.

Viggo put both hands on Orlando's hips and held him still. "I think that would be a little rude, and besides, we can't leave young Jake alone with a beast like Sean."

"Fuck you very much," Sean said cordially.

"Let's see how you do with Jake first," Viggo said.

"What am I? An audition?" Jake chimed in.

Sean laughed. "You fit right in, Jake. Are you afraid to be alone with me?"

"Maybe," Jake said honestly. "But not because I think you'll hurt me. I'm afraid of what I might do. I hate to bring it up again, but I don't want you to think I do this all the time."

"I do," Sean said. "But I'm thinking of quitting."

Viggo and Orlando exchanged an incredulous glance.

"I can't believe my ears," Viggo said. "What happened to 'a Northern man is always hard'?"

"I'm getting bloody sick and tired of latex, mate," Sean said. "I look at you and Orlando and I think to myself, 'monogamy, that's the answer'. Just hope I don't get bored."

"That is such a Sean statement," Orlando said.

Sean winked at Orlando. "Are you going to get me a Newcastle, or are you just going to stand there and twist my bollocks?"

"I'm not your bitch," Orlando said, pausing a beat. "Viggo is."

"Tell you what," Viggo drawled. "Why don't ya git your own damn beer, and I'll take care a this here maverick?"

Sean cocked his head. "Having a Hidalgo flashback?"

"No time to explain," Orlando said, tugging on Viggo's arm. "Let's go."

"Jake, you're on your own," Viggo said, as he gave in to his husband.

"I don't know about you," Sean said to Jake. "But I could do with a beer."

Jake nodded and walked behind Sean into the spacious kitchen. Sean knew the house as well as he knew his own and soon he and Jake had beers and snacks.

"So did the Dynamic Duo at least give you an introductory lesson?" Sean asked.

Jake turned his head in time to avoid dousing Sean with a mouthful of beer. "Uh, yeah."

"Relax, son," Sean said, patting Jake's back. "It's okay to talk about sex, I hope?"

"Yeah, sure. You just surprised me." Jake got a grip and decided he could be as nonchalant about the whole thing as Orlando was, or at least act like it.

"So … what is it you need help with?"

Jake's fair skin deepened in color. "I'm sorry; I'm trying, but the impersonal, clinical thing isn't working for me."

Sean smiled. "What if I told you that you are one of two boys I've ever wanted to … sleep with?"

"That's very … flattering. I'm attracted to you, too."

"Really," Sean said speculatively. "You like blondes?"

Jake leaned back against the counter. "I'd like to be all enlightened and say that looks don't matter, but they do, at least at first. And the first man I was attracted to is big and blonde, younger than you, doesn't really look like you, but has the same feel, if you know what I mean." Jake paused. "It's about the looks, but it's more. It's the way you carry yourself as if you're equal to anything that comes up, be it a bully, a flat tire, or a tornado."

"I like that," Sean said. "Anything else?"

"Well, there's your voice, of course. You could seduce me with that alone."

Sean set down his bottle down on the counter. "Is that what you want?"

"Why is this so hard? Why can't I tell you what I want?"

Sean lifted Jake's chin on his palm and looked into the boy's ingenuous gaze. "Do you want me to take you?"

The shiver that ran through the young man's tall frame was answer enough. Sean leaned forward and touched his lips to Jake's. Jake's mouth opened as his arms went around Sean, pulling him closer. Sean responded eagerly, matching Jake's ardor. With mouths wedded by their entwined tongues, the two men acquainted themselves with one another's persons.

"Whoa!" Jack breathed as he broke the kiss. "Time out. This is going really fast."

"We're just kissing."

"Yeah, but in a minute you'll be stuffing me silly and I won't be lifting a finger to stop you. I just need a minute, a second even, to … Ah fuck it. I want you so bad I can't believe it."

Sean grinned as though Jake had just informed him of what big eyes he had. "Far be it from me to deprive someone in need of my unique …"

"Unique what?" Jake made himself meet Sean's intense gaze.

"Sorry," Sean said. "I was going to be cool and breezy, but that's not how I want to be with you. You're not just an …"

"What?"

"Another fuck," Sean said, his hands loosely braceleting Jake's wrists. "Can you put yourself in my hands?"

"I trusted Orlando and Viggo, and they trust you, so … sure."

"Say it," Sean said. "I know you're an adult, but I need consent for my own peace of mind."

Jake swallowed, hoping he wasn't being all kinds of stupid. "Take me," he said.

The Series continues with Beautitude: Exaltation