to the situation to make an accurate evaluation. Did you get laid? Were you a happy puppy when you left here this morning? We both know the answer to those questions...and yeah, I think you ARE glowing a little!"

"You bastard...what have you done to me?"

Now Michael became the aggressor - grabbing Kent's crotch and put a long lip-lock on him...

"Careful...some of that shine might rub off on me - and I'd have to explain it to my clients who are due here any minute!"

"Shit - look at the time...I'll bet they're going to be right on time and I'm going to have to wait to rub my ‘shine’ off onto you...but I'm gonna do it, you just wait...!"

The clients arrived right on schedule...it took two hours to get all the pictures taken...lots of posing and re-posing...moving people from one group to another...the usual wedding prep scene. Michael helped position people...stood in as a "spacer" where necessary...moved lights - just like the official "assistant" that he was introduced as. Michael thought it interesting that Kent had introduced him as "Mike" though...and after they all had left, asked...

"It's not a big deal, but how come you introduced me as 'Mike' instead of 'Michael?'"

"Who alone calls you 'Michael'?"

"Just you...oh, I think I get it...there's only one person on earth that calls me 'Michael' - and that's you!"

Kent draped his arms over Michael’s shoulders and pressed their foreheads together – so that they were literally “eye to eye.”

“I’ve been doing a lot of thinking today…sort of internal ‘wrestling’ with some things…mostly – no, I guess all…about you and me – the short time we’ve known each other…the differences in our ages…what the future might hold for us…trying to keep my head and my heart in their right places…I think I’ve come to some conclusions.

Michael’s heart began to pound…was Kent going to end their relationship? The thought of that caused a huge lump in his throat…his eyes started to well with tears….

“Wha…what kind of conclusions…?”

“Well…probably against my best judgment – and only time will tell if I’m right – I’ve decided that I don’t want you to be my boyfriend after all…”

The tears already welling in Michael’s eyes spilled over, running down his cheeks…

“Wha…but you…um, we….I, I thought…you said…”

Kent stopped his stammering with a finger over his lips – still looking him right in the eyes…

“Let me finish my sentence, ok…? This is the part that I really struggled with – and had to get my head and my heart in sync…I don’t want you to be my boyfriend…I want you to be my lover…if you want to be, that is…!”

Now Michael’s heart almost stopped beating…

“Yes, Michael…I need to say it…I love you!”

“I…I wanted…never thought…I mean…I don’t know what to say…wow, yeah, I want to be...and...I love you too…I mean, I REALLY love you…!”

“I know…I know…”

Kent put his arms around him and held him as tightly as he could…giving him a long passionate kiss. Michael tugged the shirt out of Kent’s trousers…running his hands up his back. He pulled back a little from the embrace without breaking lip contact and unbuttoned it. Kent dropped his arms and let