Unfortunately, Keith and I had both lost our momentum from Mike and Derrick's late night disturbance. Some day Keith and I would find a way to repay them!

Determined to make the best of the situation, I instructed Keith to lie down on the bed, face up. I lit the candles and turned on the stereo. Finally, I turned the overhead lights off then knelt on the floor at the foot of our bed. I began rubbing Keith's feet, massaging the tension out. Incrementally, I worked my way up his legs. By the time I reached his hips, my lover had a decent chubby going. Forcing myself to ignore his arousal, I continued massaging his front. Straddling him, I stared wantonly at his muscular chest. Keith began giggling and I firmly grasped his pecs before asking him to roll over. Starting again at his neck, I worked my way down to his toes paying special attention to his buns and legs.

In the last year I've learned that massaging the largest muscles in the body with my hands doesn't work very well; it's better to use my forearms and roll the muscles, like dough with a rolling pin.

Keith hummed and moaned, obviously loving the attention as much as I enjoyed giving him attention. Keith then bade me to lie down on the bed so he could return the favor. Systematically he worked all the stress out of my body. We snuggled and began stroking each other but, being so relaxed, wordlessly decided to save sex for the morning and fell asleep.

Saturday morning, after making love, we decided to stay home and not go to the beach. While we were in the shower, Keith said, "You're getting sunburned baby," and pointed out my knees, around my waist and my shoulders and neck. Knowing we would stay naked for the next few hours before he had to work, I gave in easily.

Both of us wished that we had at least arranged for Saturday night off from work. Keith needed the money for his car insurance payment, which was due the end of that week, so we didn't call in sick. We made ourselves a big western omelet for breakfast, cleaned the kitchen then kicked back on the sofa and watched TV until almost noon. What was really great was we didn't feel the need to make love; we just snuggled on the sofa, enjoying the freedom of being naked and having the entire house to ourselves. Then I made Keith lunch and I passionately kissed him before he left for Blockbuster.

Gathering my work clothes and my new acoustic guitar, I then went to Doug & Brian's. Mike was much more pleased than I thought he might be. Most of all, Mike liked that it was an electrified classical model. He tried out my new axe, playing it finger style as if he had been playing it for weeks, and then showed me a few shortcuts. It seemed they had forgotten all about their wicked teasing and I didn't say a word about it either. Karma has ways of presenting opportunities, I've learned.

Brian was down in Anaheim that day. We asked Doug to join us in the studio to run the PC while we worked on a few tunes. Mike had learned "Behind Blue Eyes" by The Who and we all were certain Keith would like the tune. Once those tracks were complete, we asked Doug if he knew "Foreplay/Long Time" by Boston. After a few rehearsals, we began laying down those tracks. But three-thirty rolled around too quickly. Mike, Derrick and I thanked Doug for his help then got ready for work. Brian walked in the house moments before the three of us left for Black Angus.

It was another busy night with a few parties of ten or more people to serve. The three of us work really well together; keeping customers, waiters and waitresses happy. A few minutes before eleven o'clock, I called home to tell Keith that we were just wrapping up. I didn't want him pacing the floors, worrying about me again. Derrick made our holiday reefer connection and I passed him thirty-five bucks for my share. Around eleven thirty, we left work. I dropped Mike and Derrick at home then crossed town, stopping at a gas station for rolling papers. It was about ten-to-twelve when I stopped in front of the house. Before I stepped out of the 4Runner, Keith opened the front door and Rush raced across the lawn to greet me. Popping the rear gate open, I grabbed my dirty clothes and guitar from the back of the truck and turned around to find Keith behind me.

Once we hugged and kissed, he asked, "Are you very tired?"

"Not very," I replied as I returned his affection. "I just want to get out of these funky clothes and relax with you and some doobage."

Suddenly pulling back from me, Keith smiled, "When did you get pot?"

"A little while ago; Derrick got some from one of the cooks and we split it three ways."

As we started for the house with the hound dog in the lead, Keith asked, "How much do I owe you?"

"Not a cent," I smiled. "Our share was only thirty five bucks and that came out of tonight's tips. Besides, we'll be sharing it."

He closed the door behind us and sighed, "You could've told me. I can afford to give you fifteen or twenty bucks."

Shaking my head, I suggested, "Next time it'll be your treat. How about you make us a snack while I get changed?"

Keith nodded, "Tell me next time, okay?" On the way to our room, I agreed and he asked, "What would you like to eat?"

I smiled, "Something substantial so we're not raiding the kitchen in the middle of the night with the munchies."

Helping me unbutton my shirt, Keith recommended, "Sandwiches?"

"Yeah, peanut butter and jelly sounds great."

Keith said, "By the time you're changed, they'll be ready," and then headed for the kitchen.

With Rush swinging his rope toy around, I finished changing out of my filthy work clothes and slipped into a pair of sport shorts. I grabbed the little bag of weed and the rolling papers then went to the kitchen. Taking a seat at the counter, I began trying to roll my first joint. I had never done it before and Keith watched as I accidentally tore the first paper and pot scattered across the counter.

Setting down two plates with our sandwiches, Keith grinned, "It's not as easy as it looks."

I huffed, "There's got to be a better way."

"Actually, there is. Just a second baby," Keith said, and then turned around. He hurried down the hall to our room and, moments later, returned with a dollar bill. I watched and learned while Keith carefully folded the dollar and a rolling paper. He then set the rolling paper into the folded dollar bill and explained, "A poor man's rolling machine." He sprinkled a little weed into the paper then rolled the dollar. Out popped a well rolled joint. He licked the glue and set the joint aside.

Picking up my sandwich, I smirked, "Amazing."

"I learned it from Derrick," Keith said, and then we began eating our sandwiches. After my second bite, I got up to get us two glasses of milk to wash down the pasty PB&J sandwiches.

Minutes later, we were out in the back yard with Rush. Sitting at the patio table, I lit the joint. Coughing and sputtering, I passed it to Keith. He took the joint with one hand and patted my back with the other. Keith passed the joint back to me and only briefly sputtered. Exhaling, he asked, "Have you ever done a shotgun?"

Already getting stoned, I queried, "Done a shotgun? You know I hate guns."

Taking the joint, Keith giggled, "No dude. I'll blow the smoke into your mouth. It's called a shotgun. Exhale and get ready." Turning the joint around and placing the lit end inside his mouth, Keith then leaned forward and pulled me close like he was going to kiss me. But our lips never touched. Keith blew smoke into my mouth and directly into my lungs until I pulled back.

I held it as long as I could then gasped, "Oh my God!" and began coughing my head off!

Grinning insanely, Keith took another hit. Then Keith passed me the joint and asked that I give him a shotgun too. "Be careful Prez. Don't burn your tongue," he warned. I carefully set the joint in my mouth as Keith had done then blew smoke into his mouth. He pulled away from me with his eyes closed and I took a hit of my own. Then Keith started hacking up a storm and I helplessly giggled. Minutes later, the joint was burning our finger tips. "We need to fashion a roach clip," Keith dreamily said and set the stub down on the patio table.

"Derrick just swallows them," I reminded and then chuckled, "How he does that, I'll never know. It must taste like ash and dirt."

Keith grinned, "I'm sufficiently wasted."

I nodded, "Me too," and then told Keith about the tunes we worked on earlier that day. Simply talking about music caused my heart to speed up. I really wanted to jam and suggested we go inside. Keith grabbed the extinguished roach and I called the dog then we went to our room.

Taking my acoustic bass out, I then went to the stereo and slipped a Journey CD into the player, knowing it would get Keith going. I played my acoustic bass while Keith sang along and played bongos with the first five songs on the Journey Frontiers disk. Then Keith went to the CD rack and pulled out The Eagles Live CDs. He switched disks and we sang along with "Seven Bridges Road" a few times. On my new acoustic, I figured the song was in the key of D or G major before moving on. All the music we played and sang along with sounded particularly good. Before I knew what happened, it was after two in the morning. We wandered into the kitchen for something to drink, returning to our room with two glasses of Coke.

We were both shirtless, wearing sport shorts only. Keith turned the TV on then turned to me, seemingly wanting to say something. His eyes were so red ... and his shoulders so wide ... and his torso so perfectly chiseled. Keith stepped towards me and my pecker lurched as if to holler, "Hello lover!" He wrapped his arms around me and began placing angel soft kisses around my lips. In between kisses, he dreamily said, "Suddenly ... I don't ... really care ... what's on TV."

"I know," I softly sighed, and pulled him against me so he could feel my growing erection. I noticed that he had a chubby too.

Seemingly embarrassed, Keith grinned; "The last two days, since our anniversary, I've wanted to suggest going a day without sex. But then when I'm alone with you ... I can't bring myself to say it, never mind go through with it."

I nodded and softly admitted, "I've wondered if I'm addicted to making love with you. But I know I am addicted to being with you - have been for a year, what we do together is beside the point."

Keith nodded, "Do you want to?"

"Maybe later," I answered as I rested my head on his shoulder. "Just hold me."

Agreeing, we started swaying. A minute or so later, Rush crawled into his crate and lay down with a huff. My eyes closed and we swayed for many minutes more. Keith then suggested, "Let's light the candles and turn off the lights." Soon those tasks were done and we returned to our slow swaying. My mom was watching us from the photos on the entertainment center. I felt she was at peace but my mind drifted helplessly to those same old guilty feelings.

Most of what I've experienced since October would not have happened had she lived. The partnership with Keith would still exist, I knew that; but it wouldn't be the same. Without actually living together, it couldn't be the same. The late night swaying would be far less common. Sharing ideas would have to wait or be done over the phone. I began to softly tell him what was going through my mind. I finished my little confession with; "It still hurts, Keith. If we weren't together like we are right now and so content, I'd be bawling like a baby."

He squeezed me and whispered, "I understand, Prez."

Pulling my head back, I looked deep into his brown eyes and queried, "Does it make you angry or sad?"

He shook his head and said, "Nothing like what you feel. I only wish I could magically release you of all that."

I grinned, "You do, so much of the time."

Tilting is head, Keith wondered, "Why not this time?"

Releasing one hand and turning us slightly, I pointed at the photos. Keith nodded knowingly and I asked, "Do you think I should put them away?"

"Not for me or my benefit, only if you really want to," he replied. And then he added, "I don't feel bad when I look at them. If anything, I'm reassuring her ... and probably myself that I can and will take care of you for the rest of our lives."

Hearing him say that helped more than I could've ever guessed. I kissed him softly then rested my head on his shoulder again and thought about it. There were three pictures on the entertainment center; one of her and me at my last birthday, another of me, my dad and her taken when I was about five, and finally, her wedding portrait. I asked myself if I should take them all down or maybe leave just one on display. The birthday picture was my favorite, even though it was only five-by-eight. Opening my eyes and looking atop the entertainment center, I made my decision. Dropping my arms and kissing Keith's cheek, I then stepped back and went to remove the other two portraits. "Where should I put them?" I asked.

Keith answered, "Not far, where they're easily accessible so you can get at them in an instant."

Taking the pictures to the dresser, I opened the underwear drawer and actually began rearranging things until Keith stepped up beside me. He didn't say a word but I saw the reflection of his grin in the mirror. "Not such a great place?" I reckoned and smiled.

Unable to break his smirk, Keith shrugged, "If you had died, would you want her putting your pictures under her bras and panties?"

I chuckled, "Probably not."

"How about the bottom drawer with the sweaters and sweatshirts?" he suggested.

"Cool."

Keith and I then rearranged the remaining photos and knick-knacks on top of the entertainment center before calling it a night. I couldn't believe the digital clock read three-thirty. Keith blew out two of the three candles then joined me in bed.

Sunday was a virtual repeat of Saturday. We stayed home alone, made ourselves pancakes and sausages for breakfast then watched TV for another hour or so before showering. I walked Keith out to his car and kissed him goodbye then waited until he drove out of sight before going back inside. Pulling the sheet off the sofa, I headed for the garage and put it in the washing machine. Then I went to our room, pulled the old bedding off, and with fresh linen, remade the bed.

Again, I met Mike and Derrick in Agoura Hills and we jammed until we went to work. The first song we learned that day was "Shine" by Collective Soul, the last tune I heard on the radio. The CD was amongst Doug & Brian's collection, which made the task easier. Keith was already familiar with the tune. We had sung it together on more than a few occasions. I knew Keith liked the lyrics and he always smiled when, in a low menacing growl, I added the counterpoint "yeah".

I realized that Keith's family would be back from Big Bear later that evening but wished we could have one more night alone. The feeling was so strong that I began blabbering to Mike and Derrick about our time alone, leaving out some of the more personal details. Although they drilled me for that information too! That night after work, the four us met at Mike's for a dip in the pool and some pool house jams. Since we knew we would toke out, Keith and I spent the night. Derrick's room now had both twin sized beds side by side, flush against adjacent walls.

With Drew tagging along, we were back at Zuma beach Monday morning. The five and six foot swells were history and the water was cooler so wet suits were rented but, as far as I was concerned, not really required. When we got back to Agoura Hills, we were surprised to find Doug and Brian both home and preparing for a month away. They told us that they would be leaving early the next morning. Doug also reminded Mike that all the vintage guitars would be locked but the others were available for his use. Plenty pleased; Mike agreed to keep the guitars clean and floated off towards the studio with the remaining three of us widely smiling at him. Keith closed the studio door.

Bouncing happily, Mike rambled, "First I'll check out some blues on the cherry Gibson 335, then maybe try some jazzy stuff on that ES175, and then some metal on the B.C. Rich Warlock and then..."

I cracked up as Derrick grabbed his boyfriend. They kissed hard, like they hadn't kissed in months! Keith and I turned on the PC and amplifiers. I grabbed the Rickenbaker bass, plugged it in and turned around to find them still kissing!

Turning to Keith, I smiled and shrugged then began playing "My Generation" by The Who. We had been concentrating on "Who" tunes recently and I had heard that tune on the radio returning from the beach. I found myself visualizing the bass parts. As it turned out, we spent the afternoon working solely on tunes by The Who, including "Behind Blue Eyes." Brian preprogrammed his synthesizer to play "Baba O'Riley" so we got to work on that tune for a while before Keith had to leave for work. The last tune played that day was "Won't Get Fooled Again," with Doug handling lead vocals and more preprogrammed synthesizer parts.

Around three-thirty, Drew and I left for home so I could get changed for work. I was running late and didn't have time to shower but wiped some deodorant under my pits and jumped into my clothes then raced out of the house.

As I drove to Black Angus, I remembered when Mike had grinned devilishly, "We'll be busy tonight and tomorrow, dude."

Rolling his eyes and looking at the ceiling, Derrick sneered, "Don't even bother calling, we pro'lly won't hear it."

Opportunities were presenting themselves! I snickered and then realized that I would really be alone while Keith worked the next day. That thought wiped the smile off my face. The remainder of the night, I wondered what I would do alone Tuesday afternoon and evening. I could practice my guitar or play my bass for a while but not for the entire seven hours Keith was at work. Cooking dinner would take some time. Maybe Drew and Corey would want some company after dinner, I hoped. Before I knew it, the clock read eleven and I was walking out to my truck.

On the way home, I promised myself that I wouldn't mention being alone the next night. But once I got home, Keith and I decided to take the dog for a walk around the neighborhood and smoke a joint. While we were stoned and telling each other about our night, I slipped and mentioned what Mike and Derrick had said. Barely pausing for a breath, I joked about finding a way to interrupt them.

Keith nodded excitedly and grinned but then asked, "What else will you do tomorrow night?"

Acting unconcerned, I shrugged, "Play my bass and guitar, maybe spend some time with Drew and Corey." Then I wrapped an arm around Keith's waist and said, "I'll be fine, babe. Don't worry."

He kissed my cheek then smirked, "The day we stop worrying about each other is the day we have problems."

I nodded my agreement but held onto my positive attitude for him. "I'll find something to keep me occupied," I assured.

Seemingly convinced, Keith nodded but then teased, "No solitary exploration. If you lock yourself in our room, I'll find out about it."

Catching his grin, I played along. "Four hours alone with two dildos; one in my ass and one in my mouth!"

"Oooo-migod!" Keith chuckled. He then firmly insisted, "We're making love as soon as I get home! You'd better not be sore and I expect you to shoot a whopper!"

I sighed, "I can try." He glared at me. I then tickled him and raced down the street! Keith chased me home and right to our bed. The marijuana did nothing to suppress our desire for each other. Honestly, the only thing it did was make it more difficult to hold back our orgasms.

Sufficiently fulfilled, we did some grinding Tuesday morning but never finished what we started and were soon off to Zuma. As we stepped out of the house, I attempted to hand my keys to Keith.

Shaking his head, he said, "You drive this time."

"As long as you drive from Russ' shop to Zuma," I stipulated.

Beside the passenger side door of my 4Runner, Keith stopped and wondered, "Are you afraid to drive with the boards on the roof?" Unlocking the doors, I looked up and shrugged. Hell yes, I was afraid! If I drove too fast and a board flew off into another car, I'd likely have a nervous breakdown. We got into the car but left the doors open to get some air flowing. I started the engine and Keith assured, "You can do it, Prez."

Reaching to turn on the air conditioner, I glanced his way and huffed, "I wish I was as confident about it."

"Behind the wheel, there's no one I trust more," Keith assured.

I closed my door and asked, "Because I don't race around?"

Closing his door, Keith nodded, "You do the speed limit and stay to the right, allowing faster traffic to pass." As I pulled away from the curb, Keith said, "Some of those numb-nuts are doing sixty in the left lane of the freeway while others are doing eighty in the right lane. Like my dad says, they got their licenses from Wheaties box-top offers."

I snickered but stipulated, "If I start to freak out, I'll just pull over and you can finish the trip."

With that, Keith nodded and reached to turn on the radio. KLOS was playing great tunes and we kept the radio tuned there the entire trip. As we drove out of the second tunnel, they began playing Bridge Over Troubled Water and Keith easily matched Art Garfunkel's lead vocal. At first, I was amazed he knew the words but as the crescendos built and Goosebumps raced up my spine, my dick got harder. When the song finished, I excitedly said, "You've obviously sung along with that a few times."

"I grew up with it," Keith confided, "my mom loves Simon and Garfunkel."

"My mom has their greatest hits CD," I reminded.

"You haven't played it once in all this time."

I shrugged and thought aloud, "They have some pretty good songs. Paul Simon is a great song writer. The tunes on that disk just don't have interesting bass parts."

Keith's head swayed indecisively then he said, "Sound Of Silence is another really good ballad. Maybe someday we could do a duet of that song?"

Nodding enthusiastically, I presented my brightest and warmest smile. "Suddenly, I don't feel like surfing." Keith's head snapped my way and I softly admitted, "Just wanna lay in the sand beside you."

He smiled and whimpered, "You're giving me a stiffie!"

I chuckled, "I've had one since you started singing."

Rolling his eyes and entire head, Keith laughed. "As great as that sounds," he began, "I'd really like you to try driving with the surfboards."

I nodded and then joked, "If I'm successful, will I get a reward?"

Turning to me, Keith assured, "Of course! We may even have to leave the beach early."

With that incentive, I confidently crossed PCH and pulled alongside Russ' shop. We didn't need wetsuits that day but got two short boards since the waves were pretty small. As we attached the bungees to the rack atop my 4Runner, butterflies began flapping in my gut. Getting back in the car, I started the engine. Pulling away, I turned then stopped at the edge of the pavement. Waiting for traffic on PCH didn't help matters. Summer vacationers were obviously out in force. Letting me know when the coast was clear on his side, Keith helped me finally get across the road. Flipping my directional on, I slowly moved to the right lane. Determined to complete the short trip to Zuma, I watched my speedometer and listened to my heart pound against my ribs. The songs on the radio drifted through me like unidentifiable white noise.

More than anything, I wanted to pull over and let Keith drive. If he believed that a thirty minute bedroom session before he left for work would be sufficient reward, my lover was sadly mistaken! I wanted him inside me first. Then, when he returned from work, he would be ravaged like I have never ravaged him before! Finally, I moved to the left lane and prepared to cross PCH again, this time for the Zuma parking lot. Once I was finally in line to pay for parking, my nerves settled down considerably.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" Keith warmly smiled.

Shaking my head, I bit my tongue and held back my comments.

Keith handed me a few bucks to pay the lot attendant and soon we were parked. When I stepped out of the truck, my knees wanted to buckle but I managed to remain upright. We loosened the bungees and grabbed our boards then headed for the surf. A few paces into the sand, Keith turned and cautiously asked, "What's wrong, baby?"

I smiled, "Nothing."

"You're being way too quiet."

"Just taking in the salt air and calming down."

Keith assured, "You did great, Prez."

"Traffic was pretty heavy though."

After another few silent paces, we found a good spot to set our stuff down. We took our T-shirts off and Keith giggled, "I'm a dead man."

Furling my brow, I grunted, "Huh? Why?"

Smiling mischievously, Keith said, "Because you got stressed driving." I grinned and we picked up our boards then headed for the water. "I know you," Keith rambled and hurried to catch up. "You're plotting and scheming."

I laughed and shook my head then assured, "No plots or schemes, I just want my reward."

"Exactly!" Keith howled, "I'll be severely dehydrated at work tonight!"

In knee deep water, I set my board down and grinned, "That's probably true." Climbing onto my board, I added, "And after seven hours alone, I'll attach myself to you again when you get home."

Paddling out, Keith chuckled, "I think I'll have to take a few of my dad's multi-vitamins."

"Don't forget we're off the next three days too," I reminded.

After breaking past a wave, Keith loudly laughed, "How could I forget?"

We spent about three hours surfing alone for the first time that summer. During one of our respites waiting for another wave, Keith wondered, "When would you like to go to Yosemite?"

"Any time you want," I answered, "I only need two weeks' notice if we're taking time off work."

"I was thinking of the week of my dad's birthday," Keith said. "Leave on Monday morning and return home Wednesday."

"That works for me," I happily chimed. Then I asked, "Can you afford the trip and the days off work?"

"Once the car insurance is paid, it shouldn't be a problem. Let's see what dad says later tonight."

"I'll mention it over dinner. You'll need a credit card to make reservations, right?"

Keith nodded and then we caught the next wave. In between rides, we refined our plans. We would leave the morning of July twentieth, get reservations for a tent in Yosemite Valley, check out El Capitan and Half Dome, take a day trip up the side of Vernal Falls then return to the valley and take a dip in the pool before returning home on the twenty-second. It sounded like a fantastic plan. Keith would talk with his manager that night for the time off work and I would do the same when I returned to Black Angus Saturday night.

On our way to the car, Keith suggested that I let him drive to Russ' shop.

I grinned, "That won't save you."

"I know!" Keith laughed, and we started bantering back and forth. Finally, my crazed boyfriend, seemingly ready to let me drive and apologetic, slipped a hand into the pocket of my boardies, copped a feel of my goods then snatched my keys!

Heading for the passenger side, I playfully complained, "Sneak!"

Opening the driver's side door and sliding inside, Keith huffed, "Whew! It's hotter than hell in here."

Sitting beside him, I reminded, "With our wallets in here, we don't want to leave the windows open even a crack."

Turning the ignition and then the air conditioner on, Keith softly suggested, "Tonight, while you're looking for something to do, why not get a shade for the windshield?"

"I could go to the Toyota dealer for one," I agreed.

"Betchya it's less expensive at Kragen Auto Parts," Keith said, and pointed the vents at the blue steering wheel.

I nodded, "I'll check it out." We waited a minute or two for things to cool off before closing the doors and starting for Russ' shop. It was about one thirty when we dropped the boards off and switched seats for the ride home. KLOS was playing lots of metal and hard rock. Noticing Keith's sour expression, I switched to KCBS where I found The Turtles singing "Happy Together." That got us singing and Keith reached for my hand. During a brief station break, I told Keith that I might make a trip to the mall for some more CD's, specifically to look for The Turtles Greatest Hits disk. During the trip, we heard Diana Ross and the Supremes sing "Come See About Me."

Turning my way at the end of the song, Keith asked, "Your mom has some Supremes stuff, doesn't she?"

I nodded, "The greatest hits CD and a few albums."

He grinned, "Remember that time she was singing Stop! In the Name of Love?"

I chuckled, "While we were trapped in the backseat of the car on the way to the movies."

Squeezing my hand in his, he commented, "She had a good voice."

"That was one of her favorite songs," I recalled, having heard her sing the tune literally dozens of times. Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Keith was watching me. I briefly glanced his way. He squeezed my hand again and, to signal that I appreciated his recollection of my mom, I squeezed his hand.

"Do You Believe In Magic" by Lovin' Spoonful was the next tune played. When the song ended, I practically cheered, "That song gave me Goosebumps. I'll have to look for that disk tonight too."

KCBS began their hourly news break and Keith switched stations asking, "You'll take a trip to the mall?" He was obviously concerned about leaving me alone.

"I thought I'd practice guitar for an hour or so and then get dinner started," I answered. "After that, I'll see if Drew and Corey want to gallivant around. I'll get a windshield shade first then browse around the mall. I figure to be home an hour or so before you get back from work." Glancing his way, I assured, "I'll be fine, Keith."

"You can stop by Blockbuster, if you want?" Keith suggested.

Turning into our neighborhood, I grinned, "Is there someplace we could go for a short make out session?"

Keith snickered, "Sorry, no customers allowed in the back room or offices."

I sighed then said, "I'd better let you work without distraction then."

The final few minutes before pulling in front of the house, Keith and I silently held hands, occasionally glancing at one another. He'd brush his fingers across the back of my hand then I would do likewise for him. By the time I parked, my heart was racing. I noticed it was almost two before turning off the engine. We practically raced into the house and into our room. We made love, showered and fixed ourselves lunch. Before I knew it, I was kissing my boyfriend goodbye and waving as he drove away.

Only Rush and I were home. In our room, I watched the guitar video and practiced finger picking my new guitar. The strings are so much closer than on a bass, I was fumbling around and missing strings. Soon, the video was progressing beyond my ability and I turned off the VCR. Taking my guitar with me and ignoring the silence of darkened rooms, I hurried to the backyard with Rush. For about a half an hour, I tried to figure out major scales on six strings from what I already knew of bass guitar. Taking a break, I went inside for a soda and noticed the clock. Time seemed to be crawling at a snail's pace. And the room had that surreal, 1997 feel, making me feel lonelier yet. Heading back outside, I played fetch with Rush until he lost interest then picked up the guitar and started strumming chords. Since I didn't know very many, I found myself playing the opening rhythm to "Best Of My Love" by The Eagles and sang along. I did alright until the bridge leading to the third verse, when I had to stop and figure out the chord forms. While I was plucking around, I heard myself play the first few notes of the melody to Open Arms. I followed the tangent and could soon hear Keith softly singing: "Living without you, living alone. This empty house seems so cold. Wanting to hold you, wanting you near..."

Tears flooded my eyes. I thought - Keith is so fantastic; perfect for me in every conceivable way. Damn, I missed him and hated being alone. He should be here with me so I could have something else to think about besides my own sorry existence. And the house was not meant to be quite so quiet. I briefly considered going inside and turning on all the TVs and stereos at once just so it seemed more ... alive. The next thing I knew, I was crying like Keith was gone forever! Shaking my head and cussing myself, I went inside and Rush followed. After I put my guitar away, I took a leak then washed the tears from my face. The front door opened while I was drying my face and hands. I almost said aloud, Thank God! Another ten minutes alone and I'd be uncontrollably bawling again!

I heard Corey ask, "I wonder where Prez is?"

And Drew replied, "Dunno. The truck is out front; maybe with Mike and Derrick?"

As I folded and replaced the towel to the bar, I heard the TV turn on. Checking myself in the mirror, I then opened the bathroom door. Walking down the hall, I happily greeted them and then went into the kitchen to start dinner. I scanned the fridge but found nothing defrosting. It was a few minutes before five so I called Keith's mom at her office. She answered her phone and in moments, I learned that she had forgotten to take meat out of the freezer and was planning on stopping at the grocery store on her way home.

"I'll take care of that for you," I quickly offered.

She sighed and said, "Thank you. It's been hectic around here the last two days. I'll reimburse you later."

I grinned and confessed, "I'm bored silly. Mike and Derrick wanted to be alone and with Keith at work ... shopping and making dinner will keep me from cracking up."

"I'll be leaving here in fifteen or twenty minutes," she said and then we said our goodbyes.

Walking into the living room, I asked, "What would you dudes like for supper?" Corey smiled and whispered in Drew's ear. I grinned, "What's the big secret Corey?"

Blushing, Corey smiled, "You still have the southern accent," and then imitated me.

Rolling my eyes, I smiled, "That comment earns you both a trip to the grocery store!"

Drew's smile turned upside down and he nudged Corey saying, "Nice goin'!"

Standing up, Corey giggled, "I couldn't help myself! It's such a cute accent!"

Sliding his sandals on, Drew complained, "Keep it up! We'll wind up cooking and cleaning too!"

I grinned, "Let me get my wallet and keys," then hurried down the hall and called Rush. While I was gathering my stuff, I heard the front door open again. Barking, Rush took off for the door. Returning to the living room, I said hello to John and told him that we were going to the supermarket for dinner then asked, "Feed Rush for me please?"

John nodded and queried, "Only two cups, right?"

Drew and Corey walked past me. I said, "Yep, and fresh water too. We'll be back in twenty minutes or so." Then I walked outside and went to my 4Runner, where Drew and Corey were waiting. As I unlocked the doors, I repeated, "What do you want for dinner?"

"Salad," Corey impishly smiled.

We climbed into the car. In the back seat, Drew grunted and reminded, "Your mom made pork chops last night. And she promised that you won't have to eat pork again. How about some chicken?"

Corey begrudgingly sighed, "Alright."

I started the engine and the radio immediately turned on. I had obviously forgotten to turn it off as I hurried to get Keith into the bedroom. Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons were singing "Who Loves You" as I pulled away from the curb. While Drew and Corey chatted, I sang along with the radio until they broke for commercials. Switching back to KLOS, I found the Chili Peppers singing "Under The Bridge." Keith could sing it better than the original recording, in my opinion. They then played "Closer to Home / I'm Your Captain" by Grand Funk Railroad. It was a long tune but I waited until the song was over before turning off the engine and leading the way into the store. While we wandered around, I asked Drew and Corey if they would want to take a trip to the mall with me after dinner.

They looked at each other uncertainly. Drew then asked, "Where are Derrick and Mike?"

"Doug and Brian have left for their vacation," I answered. "Mike and Derrick are watching the house and want to have some time alone."

Corey smiled widely and bumped into Drew, softly chortling, "Boinkin' the day away!"

Blushing crimson red, Drew's eyes widened and he excitedly shushed his boyfriend.

Smiling at Drew, I assured, "No one heard a word. Besides, it's probably true."

Rolling his entire head, Drew whined, "Please?"

Corey glanced up at me then slid in closer to Drew for a quick hug. For a moment, I thought Drew's head might fly off his shoulders as he nervously looked around to see if anyone noticed their brief public display of affection. There was only one lady down at the opposite end of the aisle and she seemed totally oblivious.

Returning my attention to dinner, I stopped at the deli counter where I ordered two roasted chickens, macaroni and potato salads. Then we went to the fruits and veggies aisle to pick up extra lettuce, tomatoes and carrots.

At the express checkout counter, we scanned magazines until it was our turn. On our way out of the store, Drew and Corey were discussing what was on TV that night and whether or not they would take the trip to the mall. We got in the car and Drew asked, "Are you shopping for anything in particular or are we just browsing, Prez?"

I explained that I needed to get a windshield shade and that I had a few CD's I wanted to get.

In the rearview mirror as I was backing out, I saw Corey turn to Drew. Corey softly said, "Let's go dude. There's nothing much on TV tonight."

Agreeing, Drew nodded, "Buffy tomorrow night."

"Xander is such a hunk!" Corey excitedly commented. More softly, he confided, "I think you'll look a little like that when you're seventeen."

"I dunno if I'll get that big," Drew shyly offered.

Uncontrollably, I started snickering and pulled out of the parking lot.

Corey asked, "Have you ever watched the show Prez?"

I nodded, "A few episodes. Xander is cute but Angel seems sexier to me."

"He's a vampire!" Drew chuckled, "Of course he seems sexier."

"That's one of the perks," Corey added. "Drew likes Oz, the werewolf."

Drew shouted, "Dude!"

"What?" Corey exclaimed. "You told me that you thought he was pretty hot!"

Drew sighed, "That was between you and me."

"Prez don't care," Corey assured.

Wanting to ease Drew's mind, I nodded, "I'm inclined to agree; Oz is pretty cute. He's got a dry sense of humor and seems pretty wicked at times, even when he's not wolfin' out." Suddenly it got quiet in the backseat. Obviously, Drew and Corey were still working out some communications issues. I glanced in the rearview mirror again and saw Drew whispering in Corey's ear. As I turned into our neighborhood, Corey clearly and sincerely apologized.

Drew sighed, "It's all right. I just dunno. It's like it's not right, ya know?"

"If you can say it to me, you could say it to Prez or Keith," Corey prodded.

Shaking his head, Drew insisted, "Not Keith; he'd tease me about it."

"He's just goofin' around, I'm sure of it;" Corey said. "Why would he give you shit about checking out other dudes?" Nudging my seat, Corey asked, "Does Keith check out other dudes, Prez?"

Pulling in front of our house, I smiled and nodded but held back any comments. Keith and I both check out other dudes. Mike seems to do it a bit more than Derrick but they both do it too. Once parked, I said, "Looking isn't the same as touching," and turned off the engine. Mr. Hundser's Suburban was parked in the driveway.

Corey and Drew hurried towards the house while I gathered the grocery sacks. When I went inside, John was in the living room watching a ball game on TV. Drew and Corey had obviously gone directly to the bedroom to continue their conversation, I reckoned.

I went to the kitchen and started preparing for dinner. For the table, I got six plates, silverware then began setting the table.

Mr. Hundser walked out of the master bedroom. Patting my back, he smiled, "What's for dinner?"

I answered, "I got two roasted chickens, potato and macaroni salads and some extra salad fixings."

"I'll get a salad started then," Mr. Hundser said. He rinsed then began tearing the lettuce into a large bowl and asked, "Where's Drew?"

"In his room talking with Corey," I answered. Finished setting the table, I crossed the room and, standing beside dad so John wouldn't overhear, softly relayed the story about their minor disagreement.

Smirking, dad softly offered, "That's Drew. They'll work it out."

I nodded, "Just like Keith and I did. I'd imagine every couple has to work through the same stuff." Then I took the large tray with the roasted chickens to the table. Returning to the kitchen, I told dad that I had talked to his wife before going to the market and that she might be a few minutes late. Then I dumped the potato and macaroni salads into bowls and took them to the table.

Dad was shaving a carrot into the salad when Drew and Corey stepped into the room. I finished setting paper napkins and glasses on the table while Drew and Corey told dad about their day. Finished listening to his son and preparing the salad, dad glanced at the clock and sighed; "Let's sit down and eat. Your mom probably got caught in traffic." He then called John and went to the table with the bowl of salad.

Once we were seated and served, dad turned to John and asked about his day. He had spent part of the day with Tommy, Kim and their friends. Then he and Kim watched TV alone at Kim's house. Then he turned to me and asked about my day. I began with the drive to the beach and how nervous I was driving with surf boards on the roof of the 4Runner. Then I told him about Keith's plans to go to Yosemite. He reminded me that Keith's mom would want us to camp out someplace a little closer to home before going all the way to Yosemite. Nodding, I said we would try to take a trip to the Angeles forest. Then I asked about making reservations for a tent in Yosemite Valley for two days and two nights.

"I'll have my secretary call and make reservations for you," dad said. "I'll let you know how much it'll cost by the end of the week."

Rush got up and whimpered then hurried to the front door.

"Mom's home," Drew and John said almost simultaneously.

Moments later the door opened and Keith's mom stepped inside. With Rush happily galloping ahead of her to announce her return, Mrs. Hundser entered the dining room and sighed; "I'm sorry I'm late. It's been a hectic week."

As mom walked around the table and almost collapsed into her usual chair, dad swallowed, wiped his mouth and asked, "That same young family?"

Mrs. Hundser nodded, "It's horrible." Still chewing, I looked into her eyes and she said, "A little boy, only eight years old, was diagnosed with spinal meningitis. They can't have any more children of their own and to have this happen ... it's devastating for them." She then noticed Corey, poking at a small piece of chicken, and stared menacingly at him.

Corey noticed and quickly assured, "I'll eat it."

Turning to me, Mrs. Hundser said, "Thank you for picking up dinner." Glancing around the table she told the rest of the family, "We'd still be preparing dinner if Preston hadn't called me at the office earlier." Returning her attention to me she asked, "How much do I owe you?"

For a brief moment I considered waving off her offer but thought better of it, given the circumstances and stressed out state she was in. I honestly couldn't remember what the grand total was and told her so but then reached into my shorts pocket to retrieve the receipt and handed it to her.

While mom served herself small portions of chicken and potato salad, we finished dinner and talked about plans for the rest of the evening. John said he wanted to go over Tommy's again and might spend the night. Drew confirmed that he and Corey would accompany me to the mall. Soon we were excusing ourselves and left Keith's parents alone at the table. While I cleaned up the kitchen and loaded the dishwasher, I overheard tiny bits of what was being said about the sick boy and his parents. I then went to the dining room to clear what I could from the table. As I gathered half empty bowls, Mrs. Hundser grinned devilishly and asked, "Why were you so bored this afternoon, Preston."

I smiled, "Keith went to work. Mike and Derrick have Doug and Brian's house to themselves and I was left alone for about two hours before Drew and Corey came home."

As I walked to the kitchen, Mr. Hundser teased, "You said you wanted some time alone."

"Yeah," I chuckled as I began emptying bowls into plastic containers. "I found out I'm not very good by my lonesome anymore too."

Tilting her head uncertainly, Mrs. Hundser asked, "What happened?"

"Oh, nothing drastic," I began. "I practiced guitar in the bedroom for a while and then went outside with Rush to practice some more. Crossing rooms, I had a brief flashback. I couldn't figure out the bridge of "Best Of Your Love," by the Eagles. While I searched around for the right sound, I found myself playing the melody to Open Arms. It reminded me of Keith and soon, I was leaking tears." As soon as I had realized what I said, I quickly begged, "Please don't tell Keith. I don't want him worrying every time he leaves me alone."

"You'll get back to normal soon enough," Mr. Hundser assured.

Still chewing, Mrs. Hundser nodded. She then wiped her mouth and said, "You'll have to tell Keith though. We won't tell him tonight or tomorrow but at some point, it'll come out in the open."

Concentrating on storing the final containers in the fridge, I whimpered, "Do I have to?"

Mr. Hundser chuckled and Mrs. Hundser said, "We're social animals. Given the circumstances, I'm not surprised you got a little upset. If dogs, cats and monkeys can get depressed when they're left alone, you certainly have reason to feel somewhat isolated too."

Understanding that, I nodded. Then Mr. Hundser changed the subject and asked; "Are you going to the mall for something or are you just looking for an excuse to get out of the house?"

I answered, "I need a windshield shade for my car and I want to get a few CDs." Then I chuckled and admitted, "Getting out and doing something is an added bonus."

"At least you're truthful!" Mr. Hundser grinned.

Heading out of the room, I said, "I'll get Drew and Corey and we'll be on our way." They weren't in the living room watching baseball with John so I went down the hall to Drew and John's room. The door was closed but I could hear sounds from the TV so I knocked and waited for a response.

"Who is it?" Drew loudly asked.

I heard them shuffling around and wondered if I was interrupting anything. Identifying myself, I grinned.

Beyond the closed bedroom door, Drew asked, "You ready to hit the mall?"

"Let him in dude," Corey softly insisted. A second or two later, the door opened. Standing with his T-shirt in his hand, Corey smiled. Drew was putting his T-shirt back on but facing away from the door.

It had only been ten or fifteen minutes since they left the dining room but I had obviously interrupted something. Helplessly, I smiled, "Sorry, I'll wait in the living room."

Corey nodded and joked, "We'll be ready in two shakes."

Spinning around, Drew growled, "Dude!"

"What?" Corey loudly giggled as I turned and went to our bedroom for my wallet and keys. I went to the toidy and took a whiz then washed my hands and returned to the living room. A moment after I sat on the loveseat, Corey and Drew appeared.

"Let's go," Drew spat and spun around. Corey silently followed.

John and I looked at each other, knowing something was wrong. Standing, I told the Hundsers that we'd be back well before ten. I gave Rush a few pets and told him to stay then walked out of the house.

Drew and Corey were waiting on opposite sides of my 4Runner. This didn't look good and I silently hoped the night wouldn't be a complete drag. I unlocked the doors and we all got in. Thankfully, Drew and Corey chose to be together in the backseat.

I started the engine and Corey said, "I'm sorry Prez."

"I don't need an apology."

"I already apologized to Drew," Corey sighed. I put the truck in gear and pulled away from the curb. Corey then continued, "Sometimes I get a little carried away. I want my relationship with Drew to be like yours and Keith's ... like Mike and Derrick's ... like all those other dudes at the party a few weeks ago."

"I'm sorry too Prez," Drew softly added. "Yeah, Corey and I are a couple but I'm just not ready to announce that to the world. Even though I know deep down its totally cool with you and probably Keith too, I'm just not ready to ... I dunno ... it's just too weird for me now."

"It's not weird when we're alone," Corey added.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, I saw Drew turn to Corey. Drew admitted, "I'm totally into it, you know that. But our friendship is more than what we do alone behind closed doors. What if we're playing tennis and you reach for my hand? What if one of us makes an outstanding play in baseball and our hug lasts just a few seconds too long? I don't want to be mocked. I don't want you to be mocked. I just don't want the hassle that some people would have no problem causing, ya know?"

Reassuringly, Corey softly said, "I know, Drew. And I do love that part of you too. Like I said, I just get carried away sometimes."

"I don't know how to fix this," Drew sighed. After a moment he said, "I'd love to be able to chill out around Prez and Keith and other gay dudes. But at the same time, I'm scared that that part of our lives will become obvious to everyone."

Corey then asked, "How do you deal with it Prez?"

"With being out?" I queried.

They both quickly said, "Yeah."

I shrugged and simply stated, "I guess I just don't give a fuck. Lots of kids in Texas made fun of my hair and pale complexion. I guess that had the most impact on my attitude. Texas is a Southern Baptist state. What I do here in California would be really difficult in Texas. California is much more open. There are more people of varied races ... at least it seems that way to me. And there are definitely more varied religious beliefs here. If there's a single Buddhist temple in Texas, I don't know where it might be. But here, people are more accepting of all those differences. It's like folks here have learned something. If they hadn't then I guess there'd be riots every week."

Pausing to turn a corner, I waited for either of them to speak then continued. "I was raised a Roman Catholic but haven't been to church since the funeral. I never believed in confessing my sins to priests. I confess my sins silently to God. Being gay isn't the same as stealing or killing. I just don't see that loving another guy is a sin. And sometimes I just have to show Keith that I love him. I need to feel his hand in mine several times a day. I need to hug him and be hugged by him. Those are the kinds of things we do in public. If someone wants to make an issue of a kiss or a hug, they're trespassing on my right to be happy and to make my boyfriend happy. In other cultures in Europe and other places, men hug and kiss all the time. Why is it such a horrible thing for some folks to witness? I have no clue."

Stopped at the light before the mall, I asked, "What did I interrupt that caused this?" In the mirror, I saw them turn to each other.

"Tell him dude," Corey softly said.

Blushing, Drew grinned, "You tell him."

Corey giggled, "You always want me to say it! Not this time! You say it!"

Turning even redder, Drew admitted, "We were watching TV ... and making out."

"That's all?" I loudly chuckled.

They nodded and Corey said, "Mostly."

"How is it your shirts were off?" I wondered. Corey howled laughing. The light changed and I put the car in gear, inching forward while Corey insisted that Drew tell me why they took their shirts off. They bantered back and forth again then finally; Corey giggled "Drew likes my nips!"

Covering his face, Drew nodded and chuckled. Finally composing himself, Drew said, "Most everyone I know has half-dollar sized dark rings around their nipples. The rings around Corey's nips are like penny sized ... maybe even dime sized. They're just so awesome to me ... and he likes it when I flick my fingers across them."

Barely controlling my laughter to mild chortles, I managed to say, "That wasn't so hard to admit, was it?"

"YES!" Drew loudly laughed.

Wrapping an arm around Drew, Corey chuckled, "Of course, I popped bone and so did Drew. Did you even notice?"

Shaking my head, I honestly said, "I wasn't looking at your shorts."

"Would it have mattered?" Corey then asked.

Parking the car, I said, "Not at all. Maybe it would've made me miss Keith a little more for a minute or two but that's about it."

Before we got out of the car, Drew repeated, "I just don't want our time to become common knowledge and, in the process, accidentally out ourselves at a bad place and time."

"That's cool," Corey said.

Unable to help myself, I turned and teased, "I'll keep your nipple preference a secret too." Corey roared and Drew covered his face once more, shook his head sadly but still laughed.

We got out of the car and started for Kragen Auto Parts where I picked up a windshield shade. After dropping it off at the car, we started towards the mall. During the walk across the parking lot, Drew turned to Corey and teased; "Now you have to tell Prez something you like about me!"

Not wanting to be in the middle of this, I grinned, "You don't need to, really."

"Yes he does!" Drew playfully insisted. Corey actually blushed then started giggling again! "Hurry up," Drew prodded, "soon we'll be in the mall!"

"Okay, okay," Corey snickered. He then hummed and wondered, "Like what? I love that you're so ticklish - especially your belly button!"

Shaking his head, Drew said, "That's not the same. Try again."

I watched as the two boys silently shared something. Four people were heading our way. Then Corey pulled my arm and the three of us stopped walking. I leaned over and Corey whispered; "I love every physical part of him. I look at Keith and his dad and know I can't possibly go wrong."

"Hey!" Drew hollered, "What are you whispering!"

"You said I had to share something and I am!" Corey insisted, and then batted his eyelashes at his boyfriend. He then pulled on my arm again. I leaned over and Corey whispered; "His dick gets so fat; almost more than a mouthful!"

While I was still bent over, I whispered in Corey's ear. "I know what you mean."

Curiously he looked at me then whispered, "Keith too?"

Standing upright, I nodded and grinned.

Suspiciously, Drew watched Corey and I shake hands. We then started walking towards the mall again. Two steps later, the bantering to and fro began. Drew asked, "What did you say?"

"You really want to know?" Corey melodically teased.

"Yes!" Drew chuckled, "Hurry!"

Corey took hold of Drew's arm. We stopped walking and waited for traffic before crossing the street to the mall entrance. Corey whispered in Drew's ear. Drew's eyes widened. Letting go of Drew's arm, Corey laughed hysterically and stumbled back a few paces. Drew's eyes met mine for a moment and he blushed then he took a playful swing at Corey. Corey jumped back then took off running back towards the parking lot with Drew chasing after him.

Rolling my eyes and chuckling softly, I walked across the street to the mall entrance. I looked back, finding them dashing between parked cars. Shaking my head but smiling, I remembered how fun it was to chase after Keith or be chased by him. Turning again, I opened a door for an elderly couple and then stepped inside the mall. I stopped at the end of that short concourse to check out some sunglasses and wait for Drew and Corey to catch up. Most of the sunglasses that I really liked were almost a hundred bucks. Call me frugal, but that's way too much money for sunglasses. I would have to look elsewhere for a decent pair of shades.

Still shoving each other and giddy, Drew and Corey entered the mall. For the next two hours we roamed in and out of various shops and stores. One of the first stops was Musicland, where I dropped almost one hundred and fifty dollars on CDs. I got The Turtles Greatest Hits and The Best Of The Lovin' Spoonful, reminders of my day alone at the beach with Keith. I also picked up a Super Saver, The Best Of 10cc and a few jazz disks I had wanted to add to my collection; like Miles Davis' Kind Of Blue and John Coltrane's Blue Train. While I wandered up and down the aisles, I also noticed that Guster had two CDs out, Goldfly and Parachute. It would be nice to have some familiarity with the band's tunes before the concert in August, I thought and grabbed both.

We stopped in Spencer's Gifts where we checked out some of the electronic toys, gag gifts and posters. They had a clearance of lava lamps. I always thought they were cool to watch and picked up one. It would look nice on top of the entertainment center in our room, taking up space once occupied by photos of my mom.

At a leather shop, we checked out some really nice western wear as well as biker and bomber jackets. I found a cool pair of shades for thirty bucks at Macy's and bought them. As we were walking out, I caught a glimpse of a torso wearing a tangerine colored muscle T-shirt. I swear, the headless plastic mannequin suddenly reminded me of Keith! I thought that Keith would really fill out the shirt nicely. The color had me on the fence though. It would look great on Keith's tanned body but it wasn't a color I had ever seen him wear before. Calling Drew and Corey over, I asked them if Keith might like it in tangerine or white.

Corey shrugged, "I don't know. The white and sky blue ones are nice too. I would wear either of them but not that orange color."

Drew said, "He doesn't like plain white. They get too dirty too fast."

I nodded, "All his white T-shirts have some picture or words on them."

"And he's got too many bluish shirts," Drew added. He then asked, "Why not this forest green one?"

Grinning, I answered, "Keith likes green on me. I'll wind up wearing it more than him."

Corey said, "If you want to see him wear it, he'll wear it, no matter what color."

Drew nodded, "It's the thought that counts."

Once the shirt was paid for, we went to the food court for some cold drinks. Corey only wanted water, Drew got a Coke and I got a 7-Up. We sat at a small table and watched the other shoppers. A group of five guys our age strolled past. Three heads turned and watched. I had my eye on the dude with the beefy chest and broadest shoulders. Corey turned and softly said, "The one in the NASCAR shirt was way cute."

Grinning, I shook my head and replied, "Nah, the dude in the Oakland Raiders shirt was hotter."

"I knew you'd say that!" Corey snickered.

We both turned to Drew, taking sip from his soda. He grinned and said, "Outside."

Nodding, Corey and I stood. Drew followed; we dumped our trash and headed for B. Dalton books. I browsed the magazines while Corey and Drew roamed deeper into the store. I picked up the latest copy of Bass Player magazine, mostly for the lessons near the back and then went to find Drew and Corey. I happened to pass a section of music books. Somewhere historical, featuring an artist or a specific genre but I also found a few theory books. One paperback I found titled "Music Theory For Practical People," had lots of stuff in its latter chapters that I didn't really know. I flipped through to a chapter that interested me and quickly read. The page had the usual musical examples but was illustrated with cartoon balloon characters and the author had a witty style. This was a book that I could learn something from and maybe it would help Keith understand some stuff too. I took the book and the magazine to the checkout counter where Drew and Corey soon joined me.

I had to spread the wealth and give the bags I was carrying to Drew and Corey to hold while I paid the cashier. The last store we went to was Hallmark; to get some more scented candles. After leaving the store, I had about forty bucks left in my wallet and little else left at home to get me through the remainder of the week. We made two more stops before leaving the mall; the first at a video store and the other at the sporting goods store, where Drew and Corey checked out some baseball gloves.

Once we got to the parking lot, Corey asked Drew, "Which of the five dudes caught your eye?"

"Guess!" Drew cackled.

"Don't you say the blond one!" Corey teased and Drew cracked up. Reading the back text of one of my new CDs, I lost it and howled hysterically. "Dude!" Corey yelled, "The shortest and probably youngest one of the group?"

Blushing brightly, Drew nodded and joked, "Don't matter; he was at least as old as you and blond." Corey shoved Drew and they took off running again! I had stowed my new purchases, started the engine and turned the A/C on by the time they trotted back to the 4-Runner.

Poking my shoulder hard, Corey immediately teased, "And you!"

I chuckled, "What did I do?"

"That dude in the Oakland Raiders shirt!" Drew breathlessly snickered as he buckled his seat belt.

"He was like 19 or twenty and had a scruffy beard!" Corey snarled.

"But he looked most like Keith, in the body anyway," Drew observed.

Preparing to back out of the parking space, I nodded, "Keith's got that dude beat by several miles." Looking over my shoulder and around for other moving vehicles, I waited for another car to finish backing out and move along before making my move. The whole way home, we chatted about the five cute boys that happened to cross our path. I guessed that it was like practice for Drew but Corey was completely enthused, as if he were releasing pent up pressure.

When we walked in the door about half past eight, the Hundsers were relaxing in the living room watching TV. After I greeted my spazzed out hound dog, I sat on the loveseat in my usual spot on the left side. I started unpacking my toy bags with the lava lamp and explained "It'll go up on the entertainment center." Then I showed them the shirt I picked out and asked about the tangerine color. Mrs. Hundser nodded and said that Keith would definitely wear it. Then I showed them the magazine and book before excusing myself to unwrap the CDs in the kitchen.

Why do they hermetically seal CDs? Some of them have little tabs to pull but the strip breaks off every time and you wind up having to use sharp implements to break through the plastic. Regular thin plastic would accomplish the task. It's a conspiracy, I swear.

Finished opening the CDs and tossing the trash, I gathered my stuff, called Rush and headed back to our bedroom. In the next room, I could hear John, Drew and Corey chatting over the sound of a televised baseball game. I immediately placed the Turtles, Lovin Spoonful and Guster CDs in the player. The bedroom clock read a few minutes after nine when I began setting up the lava lamp. I adjusted everything so it looked centered then plugged it in and turned it on. To get the whole effect, I tugged on the chain to turn the overhead lights off but left the ceiling fan spinning. Ooo! It looked nice! To complete the picture, I lit three scented candles - one on the desk, one on the dresser and the last on the night table. Sweet! It looked good! I couldn't wait for Keith to see.

The second tune on the Guster disk had just finished and I liked it a lot. Turning on the overhead lights again, I checked the CD case and learned the title was Mona Lisa from the Parachute disk. The disk was published in 1995 but I had never heard one of the tunes on the radio and I really liked what I heard. It sounded like two guitarists, a bassist, a keyboard player and drummer but I learned that Guster was a three man band. One dude was a percussionist and the other two shared bass, guitar and keyboard duties.

Kicking back on the bed, I started browsing through the Bass Player magazine while tunes played in the background. Another Guster tune sparked more interest and I learned the song's title was Eden. Then I slowly flipped through the music theory book. It was the sixth chapter before I started picking up new information but there were twenty four chapters in the book. It was setup for home study with questions sprinkled throughout the chapters and answers in the back of the book.

I looked up to check the time. It was ten to ten. Keith would be home soon and I couldn't wait to show him the shirt. I tried concentrating on my new book or The Turtles tunes but butterflies started flapping in my gut. They actually made me feel a little woozy in a trippy good way. Lying down on the bed, I read the same paragraph over and over, not understanding what I was reading but anxious for my lover to return home. Checking the clock again, only five minutes had passed. Argh! The waiting is not the hardest part! It's the damn butterflies and subsequent dizzy rushes! Giving up on the book, I set it aside, turned the overhead light off then lay down and closed my eyes to relax.

What seemed like only two minutes later; I felt the bed shake. My eyes opened. Crawling over me, grinning widely, Keith said, "I missed you so much tonight!"

Reaching up for him, I weakly chuckled, "I missed you too."

Lying down across me, Keith tenderly kissed me. He then looked down at me seriously and said, "You're shaking."

"I am?"

"I can feel it." Keith nodded.

Grinning at him, I teased, "You're not shaking but something hard is poking my thigh!"

"I know!" Keith incredulously laughed. He then explained, "I swear; I must've popped a dozen bones in seven hours! It's all your fault!"

Giggling at his predicament, I wondered, "How do you like the room?"

"It's all set for some serious sex!" My lover softly growled.

I laughed. "That wasn't the intention!"

Nuzzling my throat, Keith said, "Yeah but it works for sex too."

Cringing at his onslaught, I giggled helplessly then took hold of him and flipped us over. "What got you all revved and randy?" I wondered.

"That's what was weird! It was nothing in particular. The dudes that came in and out of the store weren't all that cute. Occasionally, I'd wonder what you were doing. Then answer that you were probably doing this or that and find myself with an erection!"

Reaching down and rubbing his throbber through his clothes, I sensuously teased, "This is for me?"

Keith's hips bucked against my hand and he whined then gasped, "Any time you want. Please let it be soon!"

I giggled evilly. There was the shirt to show him but my boyfriend had empathy for me and I didn't delay. Lying against him, I said, "I'm not shaking any more, am I?"

He shook his head and commented, "But you're not hard either."

Reaching for his belt, I whispered, "Don't worry, it'll rise to the occasion."

"Can I help?" Keith playfully asked.

Unfastening the top button of his shorts, I nodded, "Soon. You really seem to need it."

"Omigod!" Keith hissed. "I've missed you before and even took a few moments imagining being alone with you but nothing like tonight. Everything I thought of, every tangent my mind took came back to you."

I reached inside his shorts. Looking at him curiously, I said, "Keith, the front of your boxers are damp."

"I'm not surprised."

"Was the air conditioning not working?"

He shook his head and giggled, "Just fine."

Wow! Could he have leaked that much precum to make his underwear this wet, I wondered. Without further ado, I slid down and inhaled. My head spun wildly and my pecker recognized the scent immediately. Glancing up at him, our eyes locked for a long few moments.

In his sultry eyes and alluring grin, I read his thoughts clearly. Tonight, I would top for him. It really was his turn. It had been his turn for days. Since our anniversary, I had been a gluttonous slut, getting my backside filled at least three times in the last few days. The last time Keith got any was the day after our anniversary. But tonight I would make up for it. He desperately wanted me to take him to Nirvana. I took his clothes off then stripped.

He was ultra-sensitive. Every kiss, lick or nibble down his body provoked another gasp or whimper. I turned slightly so he could get at my cock because he was getting louder. Even with his mouth stuffed, Keith was obviously desperate. Suddenly, he turned his lower body away from me and his cock slipped out of my mouth.

After a few moments, he gasped, "Whew! That was close."

"I'm willing," I softly hinted.

Guiding me around, I slid next to him. "I want to come with you inside me," he sighed.

Reaching over him for the lube, I got us ready. On my knees, I squatted between his legs. Keith wrapped his legs around my waist. Leaning back on one arm, I guided my erection towards his hole. Keith slid closer and seemingly absorbed my cock. Letting out a contented sigh, my lover smiled. He began rocking against me and I occasionally thrust into him. Watching him enjoy himself got me more and more psyched. My goal was to last as long as I could to make him ecstatic. He reached for my hands and whimper by whimper, I pulled him into my lap. With my face buried in Keith's chest, I held on for the ride. After a minute or so, Keith leaned back and kicked out one leg at a time. Now he was really riding me! His hot hole opened up as he slid down my pole then gripped it tight as he slid back up. Watching his hard meat bounce between us drove me crazy because we were both leaning back on our arms and I couldn't grab it for a few strokes without collapsing.

But then Keith started softly chanting. "Omigod Prez. I love your hard dick. I love it inside me. I'm so close. Give it to me." I bucked up into him. "Yeah, like that," he encouraged. I thrust up again and again, causing him to bounce off me. With each bounce Keith whimpered louder and with a higher pitch until finally he grunted. Still slamming his ass hard, I watched in amazement as white goo began to erupt from his cock. The third shot was a whopper that reached his shoulder. The next shot covered my chest with hot white jizz. I realized; he got off without touching himself! Eventually Keith stopped cooing and smiled, "That was just what the doctor ordered," and then lowered himself down onto the bed. I gave him a few short playful pokes that Keith was overjoyed to get. I slid out and began pounding my pud.

"No," Keith insisted, "inside me, please." He then lifted his legs high and wide; beaconing me to finish in the missionary position.

Knowing that sometimes the anus can be less tolerant after an orgasm, I queried, "You sure?"

He nodded, "It feels good," and I moved into position.

Once I had buried myself inside him, Keith sighed, "You are the one baby."

I moved slightly and he cheerfully cooed. I prompted, "Ready?"

"More than ever," he nodded. I started grinding and pumping slowly. Keith's encouragement was constant and he kept assuring me that he felt really good, telling me that he could feel my bone expanding inside him.

Finally, I was getting close and told him to squeeze his tight hole even tighter. I was pounding him with all my strength. Keith began softly chanting, "Yeah, more, harder, fuck yeah baby," and reached up to hold me. Just as I was admitting the inevitable, I leaned down to kiss him. Reaching up, Keith opened his mouth wide and we kissed hard. Those last few breathless thrusts finished me off.

"That was intense!" Keith happily chortled as I came down from my orgasmic high. He stroked my arms and sides, gently guiding me back down to the planet surface.

Carefully, I knelt up off him, lowered his legs then collapsed across him. "Sorry if I went a bit crazy there," I heaved.

Kissing the top of my head, Keith giggled, "It was great; one for the record books."

"I love seeing you cum," I admitted and hugged him tight, regaining some strength back. Then I looked into his eyes and asked, "It didn't hurt?"

Shaking his head, Keith said, "Look down." I didn't turn away but instead reached for his package. It was still completely hard and still gooey. "It never went down," Keith proudly admitted. "That's how good you felt."

I chuckled, "Is it going to be one of those nights?"

"I think so," Keith grinned. He kissed the tip of my nose and said, "You know how my day went. How was the rest of your day?"

"Pretty good," I said, and outlined the day for him. "I spent the first hour or so watching the guitar video and pluckin' around." Keith grinned at my choice of words. "Then I went out back with Rush and my guitar. First we played fetch then I played a little more. I was searching for the melody to the chorus of Best Of My Love when I heard the first four notes of Open Arms. I took the tangent and started figuring it out but kinda got emotional for a while."

"Aww," Keith groaned.

"It didn't last long but it was long enough to make me feel silly."

"Then what?" Keith prompted.

"Then dinner. Your mom has had a rough week, hospital stuff, a really sick kid."

"I know."

"Drew, Corey and I went to the market for supper. Your brother is so shy; it's almost a crime."

"You're tellin' me."

"And Corey is the exact opposite."

Keith observed, "Instead of covering his face like Drew, Corey is sorta covering his mouth, not saying what's really bothering him and not eating."

"He ate tonight, a big salad and some macaroni salad too. He picked on the last two pieces of chicken for a while but he was with Drew and me at the mall. I know he kept it all inside."

"Did you get the windshield shade?"

I nodded and chuckled, "And a bunch of CDs. "We made love through Guster."

Surprised, Keith said, "Yeah? That was Guster?" I nodded and he said, "They're pretty good. I didn't know they had CDs out."

"Two, I got `em both."

Keith smiled, "You didn't."

I nodded and kissed his belly, earning a pleasant little giggle before I bounced off the bed. Pointing at the lava lamp, I said, "That's from Spencer's. I always wanted one."

Then I retrieved the magazine and book. "I got these too." Showing him the theory book, I explained, "This book has more than twenty chapters. I only know the stuff in the first six chapters. I could go over those chapters with you, the next time you're interested."

"Lemme see," Keith said, and then sat up, leaning back against the wall. I handed him the book and sat beside him. Keith flipped pages and commented, "The musical alphabet, A though G then repeat ... and how they're laid out on a piano or guitar." Pausing for a moment, Keith showed me the book and asked, "What's this word?"

I glanced at where I thought his fingers were pointing. "The?" I giggled.

He mischievously smirked, "Very funny," and lay the book flat on the bed. Pointing again, he grinned, "That one!"

"Enharmonic," I answered. "It means there are two possible names for the same actual sound and physical note on the keyboard, or fret board, whichever." He nodded but still seemed unclear so I added, "Like an A flat could also be a G sharp, a half-tone lower than A and a half-tone higher than G, it's the same black key on a piano. An A sharp could also be a B flat, every black key has two names."

"But not the white keys, ever?"

"Usually but not always."

"Oh good!" Keith sarcastically grinned. "We can't have anything too easy." He then flipped a few more pages and commented, "The circle of fifths, like you tried to draw in the car. And there are cool little cartoons on almost every page. Approaching the middle of the book, Keith wondered, "And which CDs?"

Sliding off the bed, I gathered the CDs and named them as I lay them down in front of him. Keith picked up the first two and started reading. While he was occupied, I picked up the Macy's bag by the desk and hid it behind my back. "I got you something too," I softly said.

Keith looked up and smiled. He silently shared, "You didn't have to!" and then asked, "Is it about six inches long, warm to the touch and fun to play with?"

Rolling my eyes, I melodically laughed, "No!" Noticing his still aroused but not completely erect condition, I wondered aloud, "Will it ever go down?"

Keith giggled, "It's usually you that stays hard forever after sex. Tonight's my turn. Besides, it was really, really good!"

He made me blush, the sexy rat! Helpless and hopelessly in love, I reached into the Macy's sack and pulled out the shirt, holding it up for him to see. The eyes say it all. I watched Keith's eyes widen and he smiled widely.

Standing up, "Someone wants to see me in a muscle Tee this summer!"

I fervently nodded and held it up against his torso. Keith took it and held it up for me. I stepped back and nodded appreciatively, feeling the beginnings of a pleasant tingle in my lower abdomen. Keith set about taking the tags off and soon lifted his arms, sliding the shirt over is body. The picture was forever burned into my mind. Keith's arms were nicely tanned once again, contrasting with the tangerine colored shirt. And lower, the shirt contrasted again with his white hips and dark brown pubes. His dick was still chubby and only barely pointing toward the floor. Now I didn't want it to go down. I wanted him in my mouth again. Stepping forward, I guided him back, sat him on the bed and knelt down for a savory midnight snack.

Gently, Keith ran his fingers through my hair and sighed. He kept the shirt on through most of round two, which lasted considerably longer than round one. That's another good thing about powerful first orgasms - the second round of play time always lasts much longer. After I got Keith passed his first false alarm, he guided me onto the bed and gently fucked my ass, swirling his cock around my insides and grinding against me. His pubes felt like velvet and it nearly finished me off. I had a false alarm and then we switched positions. At the edge of the bed, which was still covered with CDs, a magazine and a book, I couldn't get the right leverage and motion going as Keith. My lover turned over and pushed up off the bed. That was better for me and soon got really good for Keith too. The more vocal he became the more excited I became in turn.

I worked us to a fever but again we decided to swap. In no time the bed was clear and I was on my back, holding onto my toes, waiting for Keith to slide inside me. He started slow, grinding my ass and swirling around while I rested my hands on his neck, occasionally grabbing a kiss. Then he pulled out completely and paused. He slid back in all at once and pulled out just as swiftly, causing me to gasp with delight. Again and again, Keith quickly probed my insides then waited a few moments before burying his cock deep inside me again. By the third or fourth time, I was instigating him. "Jam it in," I'd demand and he'd wait before complying. It was a fun game and I thoroughly enjoyed both the receiving and the giving when Keith wanted some of the same. Finally, my legs, ass and back muscles got tired. I pulled out of my lover and rolled onto my back beside him. We snuggled and kissed only a minute or so before Keith climbed on top of me, pulled the new shirt over his head and then rode my cock. Watching him enjoy himself and throw his head back in ecstasy created another burst of passionate lust. As tired as I was getting, my body convulsed and I kept plunging his hole while stroking his meaty bone. Then he started chanting again. His first shot hit my chin, drenching my chest and stomach. Thrilled beyond words with the force of his remaining ejaculate, I licked my lips and tasted his seed. That set me off and I stiffened, gripping his knees tight and pushing Keith another few inches higher. When my muscles finally loosened, my butt hit the bed and my dick slipped from Keith's bunghole. He leaned down and started placing angel kisses around my mouth, licking his load off my chin and feeding some to me. Wrapping my arms around him, I pulled down so I could hug him and feel his heartbeat return to normal with my own.

Finally, Keith looked up at me and then the clock. Brushing my hair off my brow, Keith whispered, "I hope that made up for my short fuse earlier."

I kissed him and assured, "The first round may have been short but it was practically nuclear."

Keith chuckled, "Now I feel incinerated ... totally drained."

His stomach rumbled. I grinned, "And hungry?"

He nodded, "And really thirsty."

Sliding off me and rolling to sit at the edge of the bed, Keith glanced back at me, smiling widely.

Sitting up, I grinned, "This night will be remembered for a long while."

"You are getting so good," Keith said and stole a kiss.

"So are you!" I happily insisted.

"We could become pros!" Keith joked.

He stood and offered me his hand. Taking it, I softly teased, "Nope, I won't give it away that easily!"

Keith offered, "Maybe it's the timing, the signals we catch that make the rest of it so great."

Standing before him, I stepped forward and wrapped him in tight embrace. "I'll always love you."

Keith kissed me and assured, "Same here baby, each and every day, more and more."

My stomach growled loudly and we both grinned knowingly. We separated and picked up our shorts from the floor and stepped into them. I called Rush and we followed Keith out of the room, down the hall and around the corner into the kitchen, where the overhead lights where already on. Keith said, "Hey, wassup?" a moment before I turned the corner.

Corey and Drew were awake and raiding the kitchen too! They were in shorts and shirtless too. I stepped outside with Rush for a short breath of fresh air. Rush trotted across the lawn to the trees. The sliding door opened behind me. I turned and saw Corey stepping outside to join me.

He softly said, "It's getting stuffy in there."

"Huh?"

"I know why you dudes are awake and hungry. For the same reason we're awake and hungry," Corey softly said. "I think you knew and Keith knows but will Drew say anything? Not a word, just that guilty expression. That makes me crazy! He'll crack a bad joke with me. Why won't he with his brother or you? It's not like you won't get it!"

"Give it time," I said.

"That's what I'm doin'," Corey nodded. "But I don't like seeing him looking uncomfortable. Especially when I can't make it better, only a little worse. He didn't have that look on his face until we heard your bedroom door open."

I nodded understandingly and assured, "Sooner or later, Drew will feel more comfortable." Corey nodded and I suggested, "Let's go back inside. If anyone's going to say anything, let it be me or Keith."

Corey smiled and nodded. He followed me inside and closed the sliding door. In the kitchen, Drew was turned away from his brother, leaning against the counter and laughing, obviously embarrassed and hysterical.

Keith smiled and shrugged, "Don't look at me! He started it!"

Glancing down at Corey for a moment, I smiled widely. Looking over at Keith again, I playfully wondered, "Do I really want to know?"

Keith forced a disapproving frown and softly ranted; "He told me that I reek; as if he's not a little ripe too!" Drew gasped for air and doubled up. He tried to point at his brother and then me but only snickered breathlessly.

Corey watched Drew and then watched Keith and me as we set about making a snack. Finally, it became a guessing game between Drew and Corey. Drew pointed at his chest then the top of his head. Corey softly giggled, "Chest hair? What about it?" Then he stepped around the counter and looked closely at Keith and me. He grinned and then hurried back to Drew.

Keith turned to me and whispered, "We didn't towel off." The little bit of hair returning to our bellies and chests was pasted against our skin.

I shrugged indifferently. "It's messy but so much fun."

Corey and Drew were now both shaking their heads and laughing at us.

"I like smelling like you." Keith said.

"And I love wearing your shirts after you've had it on," I admitted. Turning to Corey, I asked, "Have you ever worn Drew's shirt after he's been in it a while?" Corey shook his head and I assured, "Try it sometime. You won't be disappointed."

Keith looked up at Drew and said, "One time at the beach last summer, after we had been in the ocean and were ready to leave, I just happened to pick up our shirts and accidentally offered Prez my shirt."

"I took it anyway and put it on."

"And I put on Prez's shirt for the ride."

Remembering that day, we looked deeply into each other's eyes - just a few moments too long, obviously.

Corey anxiously asked, "Then what?"

We grinned at each other. Keith offered, "Overload."

I shook my head sadly and teased, "Another fantastic time making a really big mess."

Keith said, "We'll shower later, after the sun rises."

I playfully added, "If we decide to leave the bedroom at all."

"That's it!" Drew laughed. He opened the dishwasher; put his glass and a plate inside then giggled, "See ya tomorrow ... maybe!"

Corey followed happily but also flashed me a wide smile. The fact that Drew said anything at all was a big deal for them. No sooner did Drew and Corey leave the room, the master bedroom door opened.

Mrs. Hundser sleepily asked, "Is everything alright?"

I softly assured, "Just fine, getting' a snack."

Keith explained, "Drew and Corey just shuffled off to bed."

"I thought I heard crying," Mrs. Hundser yawned.

"Only laughing mom," Keith assured and then softly suggested, "Go back to bed."

Still searching the room, Mrs. Hundser then turned to us and asked, "If everything's really all right?"

We both nodded and said, "Good night, mom." She shuffled back to her room and closed the door.

Keith and I began eating our toasted bagels with cream cheese and jelly. Seeing Keith's mom so worried and concerned over nothing made me think. It's gotta be that sick kid at the hospital.

"Prez?" Keith whispered. "Why the thoughtful frown?"

"Just a little worried about your mom," I admitted.

"It happens every once in a while," Keith said. "There's a case at work that captures her undivided attention. It's a drag too because at some point, she's gonna start crying over the smallest thing."

Sighing, I wiped my mouth and wondered, "What are we gonna do?"

Keith shrugged, "Stay out of the line of fire, mostly." I smiled at him and he smiled back, "It's true! What you did today, getting dinner and all was awesome. It was the highlight of her day."

Mildly stunned, I said, "Really? It wasn't that big of a deal."

"I walked in the house and said, `Wassup?' My dad complained that the Dodgers had lost again and mom said that you got dinner at the market, saving everyone from a very late supper. Then I felt that pleasant tingle in my groin and hurried to our room. I didn't expect to find you lying down but it was exactly what I needed."

"What we needed," I softly smiled. "I missed you, a lot."

Finished with his bagel, Keith stood and smiled, "So you went to the mall and spent all your money."

Enthusiastically, I followed and nodded, "Not all but almost. I've got enough for gasoline, food and three days at the beach. I mentioned Yosemite over dinner, like I promised."

"What did they say?"

"Your mom wasn't home yet but your dad spoke for her. We gotta go camping closer to home first."

"This week or next?" Keith wondered, and opened the dishwasher. We stuffed the plates inside.

"First we gotta get Mike and Derrick back," I playfully reminded and let Rush inside. "They're alone in Agoura Hills."

Keith nodded and hit the light switch. "If they're still talking to us, we'll see if they wanna go camping."

"We have to at least invite Corey and Drew," I said as we walked down the hall.

Shaking his head sadly, Keith smirked, "Only my brother would point out dried cum spots on my chest and get embarrassed doing it!"

I softly admitted, "There is something really cute and innocent about him."

Keith turned and eyed me suspiciously.

I grinned, "He learned it all from you, I'm sure!"

Reaching for my hands, Keith grinned, "Good recovery." He pulled me into the room and into his warm embrace. Keith then closed the door with his foot and whispered, "Any ideas for tomorrow?"

Inhaling deeply and taking in his scent, I breathed, "Beach?"

Keith shook his head. "You're a little burned on your shoulders still."

"It's not slowing me down," I playfully reminded, noticing my dick lengthening.

Nuzzling my ear and grinding against my growing erection, Keith seductively suggested, "How about we stay in until lunch time. Then we can go for a bike ride in the hills. Then we'll head to Agoura Hills."

"That sounds like a plan," I dreamily replied. Keith backed up a step and climbed onto the bed but never let go of my hands. I took my place on top of him and we ground away until falling asleep. Around dawn, I vaguely recall sliding off Keith. He spooned up behind me and rested his hand on my hip. Content and secure, I drifted off to sleep again.

The alarm went off at nine. Rolling away from me, Keith groggily turned it off. I rolled in the same direction, spooned myself behind him and fell back to sleep.


On to Chapter Nine

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