Picture Perfect

Title: Picture Perfect
Authors: Tarabeth and Mel
Characters: James and Quinn
Implement: Hand
Quinn walked through the garden, which lead to The Trillium Inn, stopping to smell the roses he and James had planted last year. He passed the small gazebo where the Inn's guests ate breakfast in the summer, and made his way towards the property’s guest cottage that he and James had made into their home.

The cottage was small but perfect for two men in love; it had a small living room and well appointed kitchen. There had once been three tiny bedrooms, but they had taken out the wall between two of them to make a large bedroom for themselves and turned the other into an office. They had invested more money than perhaps they should have in the bathroom, but they never regretted the purchase of their two-person whirlpool tub and luxurious shower with multiple showerheads

Quinn opened the front door and was just about to step into the house in his muddy work boots, he sighed and stepped back out onto the front porch to remove them. Now clad in socks, jeans and a t-shirt, he entered the house. "James! I'm home," Quinn called out. "Come see the pictures!"

James came out of the kitchen wiping his hands on a towel; he stopped to admire the sight before him. Quinn was everything to be admired in a man well built, dark hair, and sky blue eyes he could get lost in. "Hey babe I was wondering where you were. I see you couldn't wait to pick up the prints."

Quinn quickly pecked James on the cheek; he took hold of James hand and pulled him towards the couch so they could sit and look through the pictures.

“You looked at them all before leaving the store didn't you?" James laughed when he saw the open envelope.

Quinn smiled, "I just needed to make sure they were our pictures. We wouldn't accidentally want old Mrs. Smyth’s nude sunbathing pictures again."

James took the photos from his husband’s hand. "Brat, Mrs. Smyth wasn't nude and telling the church Deacon she was, wasn't nice."

Quinn blushed and decided that maybe it wasn't wise to bring up the Mrs. Smyth episode; it made his butt hurt just thinking about it. A quick change of subject was in order, "I'll get the album, so we can put the pictures in as we go."

"That's a good idea. These are really nice," James said as he began to look through the stack. “Dinner will be another hour in the oven before it's done, so we have the time."

Quinn grabbed the photo album and sat back down on the couch. He opened the book and realized it wasn't the one they were currently working on, but the first the album he and James had made together. "Woops, I grabbed the wrong one," he said.

The picture on the first page of the album caught James' attention; it was of a slightly younger Quinn his hair longer than he currently wore it with that sexy lock hanging over his eye. "I love that picture, do you remember that day?"

"Yes," Quinn replied, resting his head on James shoulder, "that was the day I knew I was in love with you. Oh, look at that one," Quinn said pointing to a picture of a bare chested and tanned James. That was our first summer together, when you were doing all the renovations on the Inn.

"You were a big help to me. How I could have managed to get the work done without you I don't know. Though I could have done with fewer pictures taken of me without a shirt on." James poked Quinn as he pointed to another two pages with pictures of himself bare-chested.

Quinn poked James back, "I need them for when you are old and fat, to remind me of how hot you were in your youth."

James was about to give his partner a swat for the old and fat remark when Quinn turned the next page in the album James was taken to another time and place by a simple photo of one of the Inn's rooms prior to being renovated. Room number 5 on the second floor would always be special to both of them. James ran his hand over the photo. "It was such and ugly room wasn't it? All that purple flowered wall paper; sometimes though I almost regret changing it," James said his voice somewhat husky.

Quinn laughed. He leaned over and kissed James, before saying, "You are such a sentimental fool."

James then applied that forgotten swat, "Watch who you call a fool, Brat." He laughed as his mind wandered back to that warm June afternoon four years earlier.

James was feeling rather excited to show Quinn the work he'd been doing on the Inn. This was only their third date but he could feel himself falling for the handsome dark haired man. He looked at his watch, noting it was a few minutes past the time Quinn said he would arrive, when he heard knocking at the door. "Coming!" he called out. He opened the door to the face of this young man who was becoming so special to him.

Quinn felt a jolt of excitement when he glanced over James' strong, stunning, and sturdy handsomeness. He leaned in for a kiss, but quickly found he couldn't keep his hands off of James' body.

James returned this kiss, his arms wrapping around the lean muscular frame. After a moment he pulled back panting slightly, and gently tried to extricate himself from Quinn’s arms. "Hi to you too," he laughed. "Want to come in and see what I've been doing?"

Quinn nodded and took hold of James' hand. James gave a tour of the first floor, describing the work that had been done and what he was yet planning to do.

Quinn had so often been the one to make the first move, but there was something about James' that Quinn felt he needed to wait for. He wanted James to know that he was ready and willing as soon as James made a move, so as they walked Quinn would lightly run a finger along James' thigh.

Those gentle touches sent chills up James' spine; he could hardly keep his mind on the tour he was giving. As they made their way to the second floor James' felt his desire grow and the tightness in his pants becoming uncomfortable. "I've uh... got the rooms one through four uh...stripped down and ready for painting. " He guided Quinn towards number five; the room was butt ugly but the large brass bed certainly had an appeal to him--especially with the signals he seemed to be getting from Quinn. James moved his hand down from its place around Quinn's waist to his bottom and gave it a firm squeeze. He then turned and pulled the younger man into his arms and proceeded to kiss him.

Quinn leaned into James, ensuring that James could feel his erection

James deepened the kiss, exploring his soon to be lover’s mouth with his tongue. After a breathless moment he pulled away. "That bed does look awfully comfortable.” His hands slid under the back of Quinn’s waistband feeling the firm roundness. "You want to get more comfortable?"

Quinn nodded in the affirmative, but "Mmm," was all he could say. He pulled James' shirt loose form his pants and began to run his hands up James' chest. He loved the feel of his fingers running through James' chest hair. He pulled James' shirt off and began to kiss his neck and shoulders.

James hands found Quinn's belt buckle and quickly had it and the pants undone and sliding down the long legs, Quinn was toeing off his shoes as James sent the boxers south to join the pants

"Get on the bed," James ordered gruffly, "I want to see you."

Quinn pulled his shirt and sweater off, and sat on the bed--scooting up towards the headboard.

James took in the sight before him; Quinn was magnificent, beautiful in fact. His body was firmly muscled from his work in the mines and yet not bulky, but long and lean like a swimmer. He had a light dusting of chest hair and a fine line of hair from his navel leading down to a proudly standing erection. He lay with his legs slightly splayed, looking up almost shyly at James as the older man divested himself of the rest of his own clothing.

James slid onto the bed beside Quinn and pulled their bodies together, their erections meeting for the first time.

Quinn gasped as he felt James' body against his. He reached down and took hold of James' cock, running his thumb down James' shaft and gently kneaded his testicles.

James returned the same as he explored Quinn's body with his hands. They were well matched in size and James loved the way Quinn moaned at his touches.

Quinn explored James’ chest with his free hand, tickling the palm of his hand with James' nipple. Soft grunts and groans escaped Quinn's mouth as James quickened the pace of his hand causing Quinn to begin thrusting into his grip.

James wanted to give Quinn as much pleasure as he was feeling, "Cum for me baby." he encouraged as he could feel Quinn approaching the point of no return. His hand coated in pre-cum slid easily over the hard shaft as his new lover screamed out his climax.

Quinn let out a long sigh. He leaned in lightly kissing James on the lips, with a very soft, "Thank you." Quinn began to move his body down James chest, planting small kisses as he went; he eventually arrived at James' erection and ran his tongue from the base of James shaft up to the tip of his penis. Quinn inhaled the smell and taste of James before he fully took James into his mouth.

James gasped as the moist heat of Quinn's mouth wrapped around his cock. "Oh gawd," he called out.

Quinn could tell that James was ready to come and he took James deeper into his mouth, beginning to swallow as James released into him.

James thought he'd never feel such bliss again as long as he lived. "Oh babe, that was incredible," he said when he caught his breath, "you're incredible."

"You were pretty wonderful yourself," Quinn replied.

"Um, James," Quinn began to tentatively ask, "this isn't one of the rooms you’ve finished is it?"

James smiled. "Yeah don't you love the wallpaper?"

Quinn frowned. "It’s lovely," he said. 'How could a man this hot and wonderful love these awful purple flowers,' he thought.

James couldn't help bursting out with laughter. "Well at least I know you won't be able to lie to me. I don't think I've ever heard such a poorly veiled compliment. No, this is not a room that I've finished, as a matter of fact I think it qualifies as the second ugliest room in the place."

Quinn smiled, "Thank god! Which room is the ugliest, and when do we get to initiate it?"

"Room eight on the third floor, and if you give me a few minutes we could move on up," James said, then rolled on top of his new lover and gave him a kiss.

James' mind wandered back from its journey to that first time they'd made love. "I might be sentimental but I was no fool to fall in love with you," he said kissing his husband.

“Love you too.” Quinn returned the kiss as he as flipped to the next page of the album. Only to reveal one of his drawings, the first drawing he had ever given James—a charcoal drawing of James in the meadow where they had first met.

James was stopped by the sight of that drawing. He remembered so well the sense of awe he felt when Quinn had presented him with it. Quinn had looked so nervous and almost bashful when he showed him the sketch. "I like to draw," the younger man said. "It's not real art or anything but I hope you like it."

James couldn't believe that Quinn saw him this way; he never thought of himself as a particularly handsome man, but this simple charcoal sketch made him look almost beautiful. "I don't know what to say Quinn," he'd told his lover. "I'm flattered beyond words, it's absolutely stunning."

Quinn, looked down at the picture, it held such mixed memories for him. The time he spent visualizing James as he drew the picture. The anxiety he felt at presenting the drawing to James. The day he gave James that picture was also the first time James had spanked him, and the day they had decided to move in together.

James realized that Quinn was lost in the picture, "What are you thinking about, babe?"

A blush spread across Quinn's face as he raised his head to look at James. He couldn't hold James' eyes, and lowered his head, "I remember how disappointed you were in me that day."

James wrapped his arm around Quinn and pulled him in closer. "Quinn I have never been disappointed in you. I may not always approve of your behaviour but I am always proud of you and more so proud that you are mine.”

Quinn cuddled into James, as he remembered that day. It was a beautiful Saturday in spring. He and James had agreed they would meet up at some point during the day.

Quinn was excited and nervous; he had decided that today would be a good day to give James the drawing he had been working on. Quinn was pulling on his one pair of dress pants, when his brother walked into the apartment in his baseball uniform.

"Dude, what are you doing? We have a game today," Patrick told him.

"I have a date with James today," Quinn answered.

"The guy who bought the Inn?" Patrick asked his voice took on a teasing tone. "What would a well educated, sophisticated man like him want with a dirty little jade miner like you? Come on put your uniform on and let's go."

Quinn looked over at the drawing of James on the desk; he had often wondered the exact same thing. There was no point in missing out on a ball game; he could meet James later.

Quinn changed into is baseball uniform grabbed his gear bag, rolled up the picture, put it in his bag and left with Patrick.

Four hours later Quinn arrived at the Inn, in a dirt covered smelly uniform, singing one of his family’s favourite Irish limericks, and wearing a buzz induced grin.

James had been in his office quietly fuming. This was not the first time Quinn had been unreasonably late since they'd started dating, and now here he stood at the door to James' office in a dirty baseball uniform, smelling of sweat and beer. "Quinn please come in and close the door." James said calmly. He pointed to the leather couch against the wall. "Have a seat, we need to talk"

Quinn smiled, "Oooo, you seem so serious. Am I in trouble Mr. Lefebvre?" Quinn asked with a giggle.

James drew a deep breath. 'Calm,' he told himself, 'just be calm'. He took a seat beside his lover and presented him with a stern face, "Quinn we have talked several times about being courteous of each other, and of showing respect for our relationship. Do you really think showing up four hours late, in a filthy uniform and smelling like a brewery is respectful?"

Quinn didn't know what to say. Of course it wasn't respectful, but he didn't like being put on the spot like this. "Our relationship," Quinn laughed. "You mean the one where you are making do with the dumb local boy, until something better comes along," he snapped. Quinn couldn't believe what he had just said. He thought that James might be looking for something better, but his heart told him that James was the one. His heart had led him to draw that beautiful picture that was now hiding in a bag. His heart wanted to apologize and tell James how much he loved him. But as was normal, his insecurity and big mouth won out.

James was momentarily stunned by Quinn's remark. "Making do?" He asked. "Is that what you think I've been doing all this time? Making do? Quinn, I'm in love with you. Don't you know that yet? What do I need to do to make you see that you are it for me?"

Quinn looked into James' soft hazel eyes, "What did you say?"

James took Quinn's hands into his own. "I said I'm in love with you. I'm also pretty upset with you right now, but that doesn't change the fact that I'm head over heels, want to spend the rest of my life, in love with you!"

"I love you too," Quinn said, "weak kneed, butterfly's in my stomach, 'Till death do us part’ in love with you. I am really sorry I was late, it won't happen again, but you forgive me, don't you," Quinn said, leaning into James for a kiss.

James returned the kiss but pulled back from it before it could divert him from his thoughts. "Quinn we need to talk some more, and honestly I'm still a bit angry with you about this afternoon. We've just shared our love for each other, but a relationship takes more than love to make it work; it takes respect, and your habit of showing up late and half drunk isn't something that I am willing to tolerate. If you think about it I'm sure that you wouldn't find it very tolerable either if it were me who arrived like this. I'd like to share my thoughts with you about what makes for a good home. I don't know how you'll feel about this but I ask only that you hear me out before answering, okay?"

Quinn nodded.

“I'm old fashioned man. I believe a home is like any organization; it needs a leader, someone who will be strong and in-charge, someone who will ensure that it runs smoothly. I want to make a home with you, and I'd like you to understand my need to be the leader of our home. I'm not saying that I want to take control of our lives without considering your wants or needs. I am saying that we need to work together and lay down some ground rules that you'd need to abide by. If those rules aren't followed then you'd be disciplined, to help you learn and reinforce the parameters of our relationship. This is what's called a Discipline Relationship and I think it is a lifestyle that would be good for us.”

"I like the idea of you being the head of our family," Quinn said, "and I think it would be helpful if I knew what rules to follow to make our relationship stronger, but what do you mean by discipline?"

James drew in a deep breath, he hoped that what he was about to say wouldn't scare Quinn off, "I told you I was old fashioned and to me the best of old fashioned discipline is a spanking, an over the lap, bare bottomed, spanking."

Quinn's parents had spanked him, and he knew it had always been an effective deterrent for his behaviour. He thought that James’ approach would probably be convincing. Being accountable to someone who loved him and would watch out for him was appealing. "I have some questions," Quinn said. "What types of things would you spank me for?"

"Well things such as today, when you showed little respect for me and our relationship by being so late and arriving dirty and half drunk. We can talk about other things that you or I feel are important. But there are some things that I would consider serious and not negotiable such as endangering your health or well being, for those things I would probably use a paddle to spank you.”

"If you spanked me today, would you forgive me?" Quinn asked.

James reached out and brushed the lock of hair from Quinn’s face. "I would forgive you even if I didn't spank you. However if you agreed to it, I think a spanking might help you to remember this the next time you are tempted to show up late, and I do know that after a spanking, we let go of the misbehaviour and the air is cleared.-"

"I want that; I want for it to be let go," Quinn said.

"Okay babe, if you're sure that's what you want. It isn't for play if I spank you; it will be serious," James told him, wanting to be positive that Quinn knew what he was consenting to this first time.

Quinn looked James in the eye. He saw love and trust. "It's what I want," Quinn responded.

"Alright stand up." James helped Quinn up and reached forward to undo the baseball uniform pants, he pushed them down along with the underwear and cup his young athlete was wearing. James positioned himself so that he was sitting forward on the couch and put a pillow on the cushion beside him. He then took Quinn’s hands and guided him down over his lap so that his upper body was on the couch holding the pillow and his legs were dangling on the floor. James wanted the right angle so that he could concentrate the spanks on the most tender spot on Quinn's bottom. He put a reassuring arm around the younger man's waist and rested his other hand on the vulnerable white cheeks. "This is for being late and disrespectful," he stated firmly.

He raised his hand and brought it down sharply on the pale flesh. He heard a sharp intake of breath from Quinn and knew that he was startled by just how painful that smack was. He then set to work making what he hoped would be a serious impression. Each butt cheek was covered with his handprints and he placed several swats along the tops of each thigh.

Quinn was startled by intensity of the first spank. He had expected the spanking to hurt. It had been many years since he had been spanked, he remembered the pain involved, but he had forgotten the emotional aspects of a spanking. As the pain built so did his guilt. He had disrespected James, and he had disrespected their relationship. He felt the tears begin to fall and he wasn't sure if he was crying because he had hurt James or because James' hand was hurting him. His pain and emotions mixed together, and his chest ached from trying to hold it all in. It was just too much and he softly began to sob.

James notice the quiet sobs and knew he'd made his point, for this first spanking. He was not going to drag this out, so as suddenly as it began he stopped and bent to bring Quinn up and hold him. It was a bit awkward with Quinn being nearly as tall as James, but he managed to scoot back enough on the sofa to bring Quinn into his arms, holding him with Quinn’s sore butt resting between his legs. "Okay Quinn, it's over now. Just let it out."

Quinn buried his head in the crook of James' neck, relaxed into the comfort and cuddle, and continued to sob. His butt hurt, he was embarrassed, and he had never felt more loved. As his crying tapered down, Quinn whispered, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry I was late. I'm sorry I disrespected you and us."

"It's okay now. I know you're sorry but we're done with it." James replied. "I love you so much Quinn; I want to be with you the rest of my life. I'd like it if you'd think about moving in here with me. The guest cottage behind the Inn still needs a lot of fixing up but I think it would make a wonderful home for two."

Quinn raised his head and looked at James. "Really?" he asked, but not allowing James to answer said, "I have something for you."

Quinn stood up and stepped out of his baseball pants and underwear. He went to his bag and retrieved his picture of James. He came back to the couch and crawled back onto James lap. He handed the rolled up drawing to James. "I like to draw," he said.

Quinn had cuddled into James as they reminisced on the beginnings of their relationship. “Shall we look at the wedding album next?” Quinn asked.

James smiled and patted Quinn on the thigh. “No, luv, it is time for dinner.”

The End

Copyright 2008 TB and Mel