Author's Note: After the long wait the next chapter in Seattle Rain is finally up! Sorry it took so long! But now that I've finished Sentinel I'm going to put some focus on this story. :) So I hope you like it and I hope it was worth the wait!

Special Thanks to my beta Brandon T. for working so hard to make this chapter sparkle! :) Your hard work and help really made this chapter shine!

Disclaimer: All characters belong to me.

Warning(s): Adult situations, language, mild-violence, strong sexual content

Seattle Rain

Chapter 4

Ashley woke up to the soft patter of rain against his window. His mind was still blanketed in a warm fog, refusing to breakaway into consciousness. He was far too content in the warmth that surrounded him to care about anything else, like where the warmth was coming from. He shifted slightly and pulled his blankets closer to his body, trying to burrow deeper into the comforter. The blankets though refused to budge.

Ashley grunted a discontent grunt and pulled slightly harder on the blankets. When they still didn’t budge he made an aggravated sound deep in his throat and sat up. With his eyes still half-closed he twisted around and gripped the blankets tightly in his hands and yanked. With a bit of effort they gave, pulling loose with a thud as whatever had been laying on them fell to the ground

“SHIT!” Bo yelled, hitting the floor on his side.

Ashley sputtered and opened his eyes, dropping the blankets that were twisted in his hands and scurrying over the bed to peer down at the younger man. Ashley’s face lit up with a faint blush in soft rouge as he looked down into Bo’s scowling face. He had thought it had all been a dream, that Bo had only been a figment of his imagination. The man couldn’t have really returned to him finally. Here he was though, in the flesh.

Ashley swallowed a large lump in his throat and stared dumbfounded at Bo, who shifted awkwardly on the floor. It all seemed to seep slowly back into Ashley, dawning on him like the sun rising. His face shifted from one emotion to the next; going from bitter to bittersweet before sliding back into a goofy grin as the passion they had rekindled stirred back in him. Finally his expression settled on a firm scowl, Ashley’s brows creasing and his nose scrunching, as he rooted back up his anger that had been so quickly extinguished.

“You bastard!” Ashley yelled, leaving Bo speechless.

After a weighted pause Bo yelled, “What? You knocked me off the bed!”

“No you ass! You seduced me!” Ashley yelled, pushing himself up onto his knees so he towered over Bo.

Bo blinked rapidly before shaking his head and saying defensively, “What are ya talking about? I did not!”

“You did to! You seduced me so I wouldn’t stay mad at you! Well I still am pissed that you took two fucking years!” Ashley yelled, climbing off the bed and snatching up his boxers. He quickly stepped into them and jerked them up to his hips, storming out of the bedroom and leaving Bo lying on the floor naked.

Bo stared at the bed with creased brows for a minute before hauling his body up and throwing on his own boxers. He followed behind Ashley and yelling, “What the hell? If ya didn’t want to have sex ya should ‘ave said something! If I remember correctly, ye were very willing!”

Ashley spun around, his cheeks already a scathing, vivid red. He grimaced at Bo and spun back around towards the kitchen. He quickly started fixing the coffee; he needed a cup before he dealt with anything. His kitchen wasn’t necessarily large and definitely not the one he wanted, but it did its job. Marble countertops and maple cabinets covered the back wall. His fridge was pressed to the corner and the stove was pressed against the opposite wall with another small joining marble countertop that he stashed his liquor in. A round table was pushed near the window with enough room to fit everyone comfortably.

Ashley grabbed his mug, paused to think for a minute and then grabbed Bo a mug. He was mad at the man but he wouldn’t deny him coffee.

Bo walked into the kitchen and crossed his arms over his chest. He didn’t know why Ashley was down and determined to fight him. It was like the man was trying to push him away! With agitation he demanded, “Ashley! Explain to me what exactly yer problem is?”

Ashley glared at the porcelain coffee mug he held before setting it down on the counter top and turning to face Bo. It was hard to stay mad at him when the man oozed smoldering sexuality as he stood there with his arms crossed, but Ashley would try his damned hardest to be pissed. He glared at Bo and said matter-of-factly, “Because, you ass, just because we had sex doesn’t change the fact that you were gone.”

Bo groaned, “Are you serious? I thought we were over this! What more do you want me to say?”

“I don’t know!” Ashley yelled, trying to work through his festering emotions.

Bo snorted and threw his hands in the air with frustration before clomping over to the table and taking a seat, adding with a heavy sigh as he sat, “Well when ya figure it out tell me!”

Ashley scowled deeper in Bo’s direction and turned back to the coffee. He fixed it in silence, trying to work out just what he wanted to say. He was too lost in his thoughts to notice Bo get up or move behind him. He nearly dropped the steaming mugs when he felt Bo’s arms circle around his waist and the man’s hot breath tickle his neck. Bo laid a careful kiss along the curve of flesh and mumbled, “Ashley… come on. Can’t we move past this? I’m ‘ere now, ain’t I?”

Ashley sighed and set the mugs down, leaning back against Bo’s hard frame. He knew he was being silly holding onto his anger. It was childish and uncalled for. He had slept with Bo; obviously he had given some kind of pardon for Bo’s absence. It was just hard not to still feel hurt. But he would just have to get over it if he wanted to move on…if he wanted them to move on.

With a nod he sighed and said softly, “I know… I’m sorry, look lets just drop it? You’re right. You’re here now.”

Bo grinned against Ashley’s neck and turned the man around so they were facing, his hands planting firmly on the other’s hips. He nipped at Ashley’s lips and mumbled, “Thank you baby.”

Ashley gave a weak nod and leaned forward to steal a soft kiss, wanting to savor the Bo’s taste a little longer. Bo grinned and leaned down to deepen the kiss, humming into their sealed lips, “Why don’t we ‘ave a little breakfast.”

He gave Ashley’s hip a squeeze and began a wet trail of kisses down the other’s jaw to the sensitive flesh of his neck. Ashley squirmed and made a small sound of agreement in his throat before breathing out, “good idea.”

Bo grinned and bit gently on Ashley’s neck before pulling abruptly away and walking to the fridge, “Good. Ya got any bacon?”

Ashley scowled at Bo and grabbed a dishtowel near by and hurled it at the man. Bo laughed and caught the towel in his hands, throwing it back at Ashley and saying, “Hey you said good idea for breakfast.”

“Whatever, jerk.” Ashley said, though he still began to pull out a frying pan to start breakfast.

Bo pulled open the fridge and began to root around the contents inside, completely at ease with his surrounding. Usually Ashley had trouble seeing people shuffling around his kitchen, but the sight of Bo so laid back and at home set his lingering fears at ease. Bo was here and from the looks of it he wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

Bo pulled out a carton of orange juice and stepped aside to let Ashley through. He ambled over to the cabinets and began to shuffle through them until he found the glasses. Ashley pulled out a carton of eggs and a thing of bacon and said, “The coffees brewing.”

“Mmm,” Bo acknowledged, pouring a small glass of orange juice before turning to look at Ashley, “whatcha’ makin’?”

“Breakfast,” Ashley said, placing a skillet on top of the stove. Bo gave an eye roll and leaned against the counter beside his lover. Ashley cracked three eggs open in a bowl and poured a dollop of milk into it. As soon as he started whisking the ingredients together he asked, “So how exactly did you get here? I mean, Lizzy didn’t mind?”

Bo scratched the back of his head and gave a faint laugh, “Well…”

“Well?”

“She doesn’t really know where I went.” Bo admitted with great reluctance.

Ashley froze mid whisk, turning his gaze slowly to look at the younger man. Did he hear correctly? He swallowed a lump that suddenly appeared in his throat and said with a sputter, “W-what? What do you mean she doesn’t know?”

“Well… I left kind of suddenly,” Bo said slowly, offering a weak shrug.

“What do you mean you left suddenly?” Ashley asked, dropping the bacon onto the hot skillet. It instantly started sizzling and popping, the delicious aromas filling the quaint kitchen and wafting around them in whispering tendrils.

“Well, I didn’t exactly plan on comin’ to see ya at that moment. It was kind of spontaneous.” Bo said, leaning over Ashley’s shoulder to inhale the scent of cooking bacon. Ashley shoved him away and gave him a pointed glare. He couldn’t believe this. Had Bo really just uprooted himself randomly?

“How the hell did it become spontaneous? Did you just go ‘oh, I want to see Ashley’? Bo! The whole reason I left you that day was so things could calm with Lizzy. Now she probably wants to filet me!”

Bo slid behind Ashley, wrapping his arms back around his waist. In a soothing tone he said, “Aw, babe, don’t worry. Look… I was just sittin’ with some friends one night at the bar and it all just hit me. Watchin’ everyone else be happy with their girlfriends and boyfriends… it just made me realize, I’d waited long enough.”

Ashley sighed heavily, glaring down at the bacon that began to turn crispy. He flipped it over said with a shake of his head, “Romantic as that may be, you shouldn’t have just up and left. What did you tell Lizzy?”

“I called her and told her I’d call when I got to where I needed to be.” Bo said gently, setting his chin on Ashley’s shoulder.

“Bo…” Ashley whispered, staring down at the crackling bacon. A bubble of grease popped out of the frying pan and hit Ashley’s finger. He quickly withdrew it with a hiss. Bo grabbed the injured finger and lifted it up to press a tender kiss against it.

“Bo, what are we doing? I mean… what were you thinking when you came here? That things could just go back to the way they were? What if I had a boyfriend? A new life?” Ashley said, trying not to melt at the feel of Bo kissing his finger. He focused on anything but the feeling. His eyes looked around the warmly decorated kitchen. He had done it in neutral shades accented by a bright lime green.

“Do ya have a boyfriend?”

“Would I have slept with you if I did?” Ashley shot back. He could never date anyone but Bo.

“I don’t know what I was thinkin’ or what I planned. I just knew I had to get to ya.” Bo said as he finally let go of Ashley’s finger.

Ashley fell into a thoughtful lapse of silence, focusing on transferring the bacon to a plate. He poured the eggs into another skillet that had been warming up. Bo sighed gently and refilled his glass of orange juice, pouring one for Ashley along with it. As soon as Ashley finished cooking and set the plates down on the table he said, “So you have no plans now?”

“Well a general idea, but I figured we could talk about it.” Bo said, taking a look down at his plate. Ashley had added a thing of toast to go along side the bacon and eggs. Bo took a bite of a piece of bacon, savoring the peppery taste in his mouth.

“Okay, and what’s your idea?”

“Well for one, I thought… I’d stay here?” Bo said, the last bit coming out with a great amount of hesitance. Even though he was positive of his feelings for Ashley, he hadn’t been sure what he’d be coming into now that two years had passed.

“Of course,” Ashley answered with out thinking. The words came out as a surprise to him, though he should have known he wouldn’t have minded. He had been dreaming of Bo since the moment he walked away from the other man. He wouldn’t risk loosing him again.

Bo let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Okay, and then I thought I’d look into some art schools. Get a job too.”

“You thought of all this spontaneously?”

“Well, I did have a lot of time to think on the ride up here.” Bo admitted, giving Ashley a crooked smile.

Ashley laughed faintly and said, “Alright. Fine. That all seems fine but we still have to speak with your mother. I’m not going to be the enemy anymore.”

Bo shoveled a bit of egg into his mouth. Ashley could cook and he did appreciate it. He knew he wouldn’t miss the home cooked meals. He nodded his head as he took a sip of orange juice, saying once he lowered the glass, “Alright. Reasonable. So yer calling?”

“What? I’m calling? She’s your mother!” Ashley yelled. He wasn’t going to run head first into that fire!

“But she’ll want to talk to you anyways!” Bo argued. He would admit that he was slightly scared of what his mother would say.

“Bo!”

“Alright! Fine, I’ll call her…” Bo said with a resigned grunt. As soon as breakfast was finished he returned to the bedroom and hunted down his jeans, so that he could slowly remove his cell phone from the front pocket. He dialed his mother’s number as he walked back into the kitchen, watching Ashley wash the dishes. They had already fallen back into routine, comfortable around each other. Here with Ashley he could just be. He loved that most about the other man. Ashley loved him for all that he was, flawed and simple.

It took only two rings before the woman answered, yelling at the other end of the line before Bo could even get two words in, “Bo Jacob Cyrus! Where the hell are you? How could you leave like that! Without tellin’ me! Do you know how worried I was?”

“Aw ma! I’m sorry, look I know yer mad about me leavin’. I just had to go. I couldn’t stay there anymore.”

“Mind tellin’ me where exactly you just had to go?” She shot back.

“I found Ashley.”

There was a sharp intake. After a pregnant pause she asked flatly, “Is he there?”

“Yeah.”

“Put him on the phone.” She ordered.

“Ma…” Bo said hesitantly, looking to his lover who was trying hard to focus on the dishes and not the conversation going on behind his back.

“Now mister!”

Bo sighed and walked up to Ashley, holding out the cell phone. Ashley shot it a panicked look, looking at it like it was a rattle snake instead of a phone. Bo gave him an apologetic look, but it was all he could offer. Scrunched his face up Ashley took the phone and said as calmly and politely as possible, “Hello Lizzy.”

“Ashley, what the hell is goin’ on?”

“Um, well… I don’t know. Look, I’m sorry things happened this way Lizzy. I really am. I didn’t even know he was coming but I’m glad he did come.”

“He just up and left Ashley! It’s been two years! And he just up and leaves!” She cried, fighting emotion back.

“I know abruptly leaving wasn’t the smartest idea,” Ashley said, shooting Bo a glare to emphasis his point, “but… I love him and he loves me. I wanted to talk to you the day of the wedding but I never got a chance. He’s made his decision on what he wants and I’m going to support him now matter what. But I would prefer if I could have your acceptance if it’s possible.”

Lizzy fell silent on the other line for a minute, making Ashley wonder if she hung up. Finally she let out a shaky breath and said in a soft voice, “I don’t know if I’m ready to accept it. But I will accept the fact that Bo is capable of makin’ his own decision. Take care of my baby Ashley.”

Ashley collapsed against the counter with relief. He hadn’t realized how tense he had been until ever muscle screamed with liberation as they uncoiled. He nodded his head and then said, “I will.”

“And tell him as soon as I see him again I’m gonna kick his ass! How dare he leave like that! Gave me a heart attack!” Lizzy snapped, causing a smile to flutter across Ashley’s lips.

“Will do. Bye.”

“Bye Ashley.” Lizzy said before hanging the phone up.

Ashley closed the cell phone and handed it to Bo, saying with a straight-face, “your mother is going to ‘kick your ass’ the next time she sees you.”

The look on Bo’s face was priceless. It was a mixed expression of horror and shock.

“Alright, so here the address to West Wood Academy. Meet me there at three. We’ll get a key made for you then.” Ashley said, rushing around the apartment as he got the last bit of his things together.

Bo sat at the kitchen table watching his lover run around like a chicken with its head cut off. Ashley slammed his briefcase close, slipped on his jacket and snatched up his steaming cup of coffee. He was about to run out the door when Bo said from the bistro style table, “Ashley?”

Ashley paused, turned and looked at the other with a dumbfounded expression. Bo just gestured for the man to come over. Ashley knew he had to get going or he would be late but he couldn’t resist the sparkle in Bo’s blue eyes. He walked over to the other and asked, “yes?”

“Kiss?”

Ashley’s smile was wispy and sweet, his heart skipping a beat at the simple request. He leaned down, pecking Bo on the lips lightly. Before he could pull away though Bo pulled him in for a deeper embrace, parting Ashley’s lips with his tongue and tasting the traces of morning coffee. Ashley gave a shutter and set the cup of coffee down. He dropped his briefcase and wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, pressing against him as he let Bo devour him. If he could wake up every morning like this then he would be a very happy man.

When Ashley finally pulled away Bo whispered, “have a nice day at work baby.”

Ashley nodded, licking his lips and straightening his tie. He grabbed his coffee and briefcase and said breathlessly, “Um, you to. You’re going to start looking for a job?”

“Yep. I’ll see you at three.” Bo said.

Ashley nodded and headed out of the apartment, leaving his key behind for Bo to lock up when he left. With the thick flow of traffic and late start Ashley didn’t arrive to school until five minutes after the bell rang. Despite his tardiness he had to say it was the best morning he had ever had. He was still on a high from Bo’s arrival. He felt like he was floating amongst the clouds, passing through the day in a heavenly daze. First period went by, blurring in with the other classes until the fifth period bell rang and he was excused for his free period.

He gathered his things, locked up his classroom, and walked to the teacher’s lounge. As soon as he walked in he was dragged down to earth by Alice’s booming voice. “Where the hell have you been? I tried calling you yesterday and you never answered! I was starting to think you got kidnapped!” She snapped, hand on her full hip.

Ashley looked to the heavyset woman, smiling brightly at her after a moments pause. He walked over to the table she sat at and took a seat, setting his brief case down. She passed him a brown bag, which he happily took, and asked again, “Well? Where were you? And what’s with that dumb grin on your face? Oh my God, did you change your mind about Patrick?”

Patrick? It took him a minute to realize whom she was talking about. He quickly shook his head and said, “No!”

“Oh… well then what?”

Before Ashley could answer the door to the teacher’s lounge opened. A man in his mid thirties walked in, looking like sex on legs. He was a tall six-foot-one glass of dark chocolate delight with a body you could just drink. Ashley would have thought he would have been better posing for a Calvin Klein underwear ad then teaching at the private school. With a body that put Ashley’s to shame, comparing only to Bo’s, and the features of a Greek God, the man looked like everything a person would have a wet dream about. His eyes were like two pools of midnight and his head was a smooth, perfectly rounded dome. Fuck me were the first words that sprang to mind when Ashley looked at him.

“Hey there Rick,” Alice purred pleasantly, practically salivating at the mouth.

Rick shot her a friendly smile, revealing rows of startling white teeth, and said in a deep voice that practically made Ashley fall into an orgasm, “Hello again Alice. Enjoying lunch?”

“Mmhmm, sure am,” Alice, continued to purr, not hiding the fact that she was raking her eyes up and down his body like a bloodthirsty cougar, “have you met my friend Ashley? He teaches history.”

Ashley snapped from his gaze and looked at Rick with wide eyes, unable to believe this was the new teacher. Rick looked over at Ashley, his eyes still warm but taking in more of the man then he had of Alice. Cutting across the room, Rick held his hand out to Ashley and said, “hello Ashley, I’m Rick. I just started teaching science.”

“Hi,” Ashley managed, taking Rick’s hand and giving it a firm shake.

Rick kept his hand locked with Ashley’s slightly longer then needed before dropping it. Another smile flickered across his face before he nodded to the soda machine, “just came for a drink.”

“Mmhmm,” Alice said, practically devouring the man with his eyes, “well it was nice seeing you again. We should all get together for drinks sometime.”

Rick flicked his gaze from Alice to Ashley, letting his gaze run down the wide-eyed history teacher’s body. Smile still in place he said, “That would be lovely.”

“Great! Ashley?”

Ashley blinked, looking between the two before saying, “Um what? Y-yeah, sure.”

“Good. Well I should get going. We’ll talk later.” Rick said, getting a soda from the vending machine. He threw Ashley one last smile before walking out of the room.

“Damn that is one fine man. I just want to bite that ass of his.” Alice said, whistling.

Ashley’s cheeks instantly burned. “Alice!”

“What? He is a grade A piece of meat. They don’t come hotter then that.”

“Why don’t you ask him out?” Ashley suggested.

“What? Boy are you oblivious? He is also one hundred percent homosexual. If he had his way you would have been naked and bent over this table the minute he walked into this room. If anyone should ask him out, it should be you!” Alice said, taking a large bite from her sandwich.

“W-what? He was? No he wasn’t!” Ashley said, completely thrown back. He pulled out the contents in the bag and stood to fetch a soda from the vending machine.

“Yes he was. He has it bad for you. It’s the only reason he’d go for your vanilla ass when he could be having himself a big ol’ helping of chocolate ice cream!”

Ashley rolled his eyes and took a seat, popping the tab of his Pepsi. He took a sip and waved a hand dismissively, “Well it doesn’t matter.”

“And why not?” Alice demanded, giving him a flat stare.

“Because I’m not interested.”

“Give me one damn good reason why you aren’t interested!”

“Well…” Ashley began, “for one-”

“Don’t you dare say Bo.” Alice hissed.

Ashley looked at his soda, Alice cursing low under her breath. “Ashley! I thought you said you were moving on?”

“I was…”

“And?”

“And then he came back.” Ashley admitted, smile slipping along his face.

Alice froze in mid-bite, staring at Ashley like he had grown a second head. She set her turkey and Swiss sandwich down and asked, “Come again?”

“He came back,” Ashley repeated. “That was what I was trying to tell you. The reason you couldn’t get a hold of me is because of him. Saturday night, after I got off the phone, he knocked at my door.”

“Say… what?” Alice shook her head, unable to wrap her mind around it. “How? What? I mean… what the hell? After all this time he just shows up? And you let him back in? Ashley! He ripped your heart out!”

Alice was practically foaming at the mouth. Ashley held his hands up to keep her back, defending quickly, “I know! I know! We fought! I made the same points. And then we had really hot make-up sex.”

“Ashley!” Alice hissed before asking softer, “was it good?”

“Oh it was amazing,” Ashley said, melting in his chair.

“Well… still!”

“We talked about it. Alice, he’s back. He told me that he was trying to become a better man. He told me he loved me still. He thought of me every day.” Ashley said, staring down at the soda can.

“And?”

“And I still love him. I mean… can’t you be happy for me?” Ashley flicked his gaze up to her, hazel eyes pleading.

Alice let out a long breath. “Ash… I have to meet him. You may be able to forgive him for what he did, but I sure as hell can’t forgive him that easily for what he did.”

“Alice.”

“No. I’m going to rip him a new one before I even think of moving on. No one breaks my best friend’s heart and walks away unscathed.”

Ashley sighed and collapsed back in his chair. “Fine.”

To Be Continued...

:) Hope it was good. Who likes Rick? Can anyone say yum? I have to admit, I kinda like him. He's got that whole tall, dark, and handsome thing working for him. But he isn't Bo, who has that Soutern charm that I can't resist. Anyways! Review and let me know what you think!