Dan and Ben at Sixty is a continuation of two earlier stories, Reunion at Forty-Eight and Dan and Ben at Fifty-Five. Some characters from the past have continued into the new stories, some are new. When the last episode ended, Dan and Ben were still married to women, but their love endures as they evolve into something greater and different since they met and became intimate for the first time at age forty-eight. And they had each had found new loves to complement their love for each other, Dan with Alex, and Ben with Gary. These new stories are part of the continuing saga exploring how these two men can be friends and lovers. If you find yourself with too many questions about the men and their previous situations, you might want to read the earlier sequence of stories. Or contact me at miwisco@yahoo.com. As always, thanks to Nifty. Please support them. And thanks for reading.
Dan and Ben at Sixty--Chapter Two By Ezra Randle
Ben was operating in a mode that was both confusing yet as simple as he could remember it since he'd started seeing men. In its most essential way, it was work and play. In part he felt like his impulse to see Gary was operating under its own set of rules. He continued to drive up to Minneapolis every two to three months. He'd see Orvy play and Lorraine sing, and spend the night and the next day with Gary. He had introduced Gary to Orvy and Roland, and they took to him immediately. Inviting him to dinner on several occasions. They had obtained a pass for Gary to see the shows at The Trinity Club under the guise of a techie of sorts. One weekend, Gary accompanied the group to two-night performance in Chicago. Ben had joined the group for those shows. The sellout crowds at the Apex Club were enthusiastic demanding several encores, and he and Gary spent the nights together at the hotel where the group had rooms. Gary had finally ended his relationship with Paul claiming he couldn't fake it with him anymore. That Ben had his heart and Paul could never lay claim to it.
Ben was smitten with Gary in many ways. The physical part which was one of the early connections, even before they actually made love, was still very present. But the trails of emails they kept going most weeks were an ongoing revelation to him. Some of it was about work. Gary asking questions about HR at 3M. Those emails inevitably evolved into phone calls. He was never sure how helpful he was to Gary, but he understood just talking over situations at work was helpful. Just like Gary being his sounding board for the year they had worked together had been an immense help to him.
Sometimes when Gary was feeling lonely, he asked Ben if he'd ever leave his situation with Maureen and take up with him. Ben knew Gary was casting his line into the wind by asking that, hoping against all hope, that the bait would find Ben hungry enough and he might say, "I'm thinking about it." But Ben never nibbled. He knew he couldn't. The moment he gave into thoughts like that, his marriage would slip away from him. The threads holding him with Maureen already seemed that tentative at times. Especially, over the past year when she moved in with her father, Frank, for the most part, caring for him before hospice was brought in. Ben didn`t know Frank very well, and Frank was still angry that Maureen had left her husband for Ben, so Ben had almost no cache to make Frank more accepting of him. As a result, he rarely saw Maureen. Between her work and taking care of her father, they had almost no time for each other. This enabled Ben to skip out on almost any Friday and spend the weekend in the Twin Cities. But the foundation of his marriage was on fragile grounds.
He occasionally emailed Dan. He didn't want to be intrusive, yet he understood if he didn't reach out occasionally, whatever memories they had would fade away. He was surprised when Dan invited him to dinner on a Friday in November. They agreed on a restaurant and Ben was more eager than he thought he might be, thinking of Dan throughout most of his work day. They met in the parking lot and embraced. Dan was smiling and said he was grateful they were meeting. Ben looked at Dan and asked him to turn a 360. "Very nice. If anything you look better than the last time we met. I'm impressed."
Dan smiled. "OK. You, too, let's see the full picture."
Ben turned and paused when he showed his backside before completing the circle. "Not bad, my friend. Seems like you're keeping it under control. You working out?"
"Just enough. It's more not eating as much."
They decided to sit in the bar area first before they ate. Ben didn't know how to begin. "Still working, I assume."
"Yes. Two more years after this one. That's a pretty firm decision. I'll be sixty-two. A good time to go out. And you?"
"I'll be lucky to escape at sixty-five. The company mandates you leave at sixty-eight. So, maybe until then. I don't mind. I like it for the most part."
They talked about work for another ten minutes, such a common topic with men, but Ben couldn't hold back much longer. "How have you and Alex been doing? I have an ulterior motive in asking the question."
Dan told him the story of their breakup. Ben listened without interruption until the end. "Wow, I'm so sorry. Did you see it coming?"
"Yes and no. He's talked about it over the years. For the same reasons he gave me a couple of years ago. But he caught me off guard with the timing. I didn't expect it. I went to see him anticipating a night together ending up with us making love. We never made it to bed."
"Fuck. Maybe I need to talk to him again about dumping you like I did the last time."
Dan laughed. "That only works one time. You gave it your best shot and kept us together for another year. Pretty good on your part."
"Do you still love him?"
"Very much. That was not the issue. And he loves me, too. He's looking out for himself long term. I understand that. I'm not a long term bet. Or at least I wasn't until Jenny's bombshell."
"What happened?"
Dan told him the short version of the story. "Jesus, a bachelor but living in the same house. Whose suggestion was that?"
"Mine. As much for the practicalities as anything. She's still figuring it out. She's only sure of one thing."
"What's that?"
"She doesn't want me in the sack with her."
"Any reason not to believe her, like what she's really doing is seeing another guy?"
"No. I think it's as authentic as you or me telling our spouses we only want to be with a man."
"Is that how you'd classify yourself these days?"
"Yes. So, in part, it's a relief that Jenny doesn't want me. I don't have any desire to have sex with her. I've moved on. You and Alex and the few others I've been with have really turned me. How about you?"
"I've been pondering that question myself. Especially in Maureen's absence. Have I told you about that?"
"Just that she's gone a lot helping with her father. Staying at his house."
"Yeah. It's more than that. He passed away a month ago and she inherited the house. She said she wants to go on living there."
"Did she want you to move in with her?"
"She wants to be alone. To figure out if we have a marriage or not."
"No, shit. Like me. After all this time seeing men on the side, it's like our wives figured it out and said, `I'm done with you. Have fun'."
Ben laughed loudly. "There's truth in that."
"How are you dealing with the shocker?"
"I should be sadder than I am. It's mostly a relief, to be honest. We've hardly seen each other for most of a year. I hated going over to her father's house. The guy despised me and nothing could change that. Sad to say, I may have fallen out of love with her over that same period of time she's been AWOL."
They looked at each other shaking their heads. "Who would have thought it?" Dan said.
"When I seduced you twelve years ago, we set this course in motion," Ben said.
"Do you miss Maureen sexually?"
"Not really. I told you about this guy I used to work with. Gary. I still see him every few months. I head up the Cities, listen to the music, and spend some time with him."
Dan smiled. "I'm really happy for you. When you told me about him a few years ago, I figured it was just you getting over me. But it's something more."
"It is. Not necessarily better. Just very different. But just as intense. To the point where I think this is what I am sexually."
"Ben the Queer. Orvy must be having some fun with the irony."
"Yeah. He doesn't make any digs. Just his knowing smile says everything. It's all good natured. Same with Roland. They love Gary, by the way. Like he could be their son. They're always inviting him over for dinner."
Dan laughed. "Funny world. No regrets about anything we did with each other along the way?"
"None. Other than still missing you, I'm doing well. So, this, sitting here, letting our hearts speak is really nice."
"Why did you say you had an ulterior motive in asking about Alex?"
"I could use some therapy sessions with him. Sorting out the fallout with Maureen and the ongoing development of my sexuality. Stuff he knows about me very well. I was wondering if it's appropriate for me to see him. We had a weird last session, as you may recall. But I love him as a therapist."
"In a funny way, I think he could handle it. As long as you don't talk about me."
They talked intimately throughout dinner and, at ten after three hours of conversation, were saying goodnight. "Danny, want to do this again? I'd love it."
"Yeah. Fridays are good for me. How about in two weeks?"
"Great. I was thinking, we can save ourselves some money if you'd come over to my place and I can fix us dinner."
"Not too much trouble?"
"None at all. I'd feel so honored."
"It's a date then."
Two weeks later, Ben welcomed Dan to his home. "First time I've been in your house for real. Other than leaving my car in your driveway for a couple of trips we took together."
"Yeah. The last one was to Lake Superior at Gary's cabin."
"Have you been back there with Gary?"
"Last summer for three nights. No northern lights and the stable flies were biting like crazy. But very nice."
"Gary good in the water?"
"Yes. He's like me. Fat guys who know how to swim."
Dan watched Ben complete his food preparations. "What are you making?"
"Scallops linguine. Remember that?"
"Very well. I especially recall you wearing the apron with nothing on underneath.
Ben laughed. "I must have looked very amusing?"
"I took a picture of you from behind. Then one of us together."
"Can you find it?'
Dan dug into his photo archive and showed Ben his ass picture with the muslin apron tied just above his ass crack. They both laughed as Dan brought up the frontal shot of both of them wearing aprons. Ben's covered his genitals, but Dan's cock and balls hung below the hem of the apron.
They talked about their kids during the meal and joined forces to make quick work of the clean-up and sat in the living room. "Want any more to drink?" Ben asked.
"Are you going to have any?"
"A small glass of something stronger perhaps?"
"One of my father's friends likes to sip a small amount of Scotch before bed. When I'm there, staying at their place, I often join him."
"How old is your dad now?"
"He just turned eighty-four. I was there for his birthday. Memorable night. We sang some old songs. Chester is a very good pianist."
"Chester's the man you've slept with?"
"Yes. I often do when I'm there. He and his partner fix me up in the basement suite."
"How much do you love him?" Dan asked.
"He's not available to love, like you were or even Alex was. He's Robert's partner. He's made it very clear nothing will change that. Robert accepts that Chester needs a sexual outlet with a safe man like me. That being said, we make wonderful love. Plus, they watch over Dad. They see him every day in one form or another. I'd stop seeing Chester if that was ever in jeopardy."
"Does your dad know you two sleep together?"
"I've never raised the subject. Maybe he just assumes I am because Robert and Chester are his best friends. Maybe Chester sleeps with Dad, too, for all I know."
Ben laughed. "Do you ever find yourself amused or even scandalized by the different rules in this game?"
"Scandalized? If someone told me a story about Chester and me, my former self would have been very puzzled. Even shocked. I'm over the scandal part. Even if what I do with men ever became public I think I'd handle it."
"Do you suspect that eventually it will come out?"
"Yeah, sometime it has to. It's impossible to keep this thing secret. How about you on that score?"
"A couple years ago, I would have said, `I can keep this contained.' Now there's a certain inevitability. But like you, me accepting me, makes me feel like I'll be able to handle it."
They smiled as they finished the whiskey. Dan looked at his phone. It was after ten. "Are you OK to drive?"
"Probably. I didn't realize it had gotten so late."
"You can spend the night. I have an extra toothbrush. The spare room has clean sheets."
"I might. I'm quite tired. Do you mind?"
"Would be my pleasure."
Ben showed him the room and the bathroom down the hall. "If you want to talk some more, I'm available."
Ben showered in his own bathroom. When he came out, naked, Dan was stretched out on the king-sized bed in his room, wearing just a towel. "Didn't expect to see you here."
"I'd prefer sleeping with you, if that's OK."
Ben laughed. "More than OK. Should we set the rules beforehand?"
"No need to. As we talked downstairs, enjoying each other so much, I could feel my desire for you come back. Maybe it's not the same for you."
"I made myself hold back. But I can easily open up the gates."
Dan stood up, still wearing the towel, and they embraced. "Danny, you feel so good. It's been so long."
"I still think of you. This is not just me being horny," Dan said.
Ben laughed. "Nothing wrong with that."
They kissed for the first time in more than two years. The last time had been in the basement at Orvy and Roland's, when they very gently and affectionately kissed goodnight after the album release party at The Trinity. It had been a delicate hour in bed, talking and tentatively touching each other. But Dan had dismissed him that night. In a gentle way. And they had spent the rest of the night in separate beds.
Ben pulled Dan's towel free and pulled Dan toward him. They kissed but not deeply. Just short sweet kisses, like a couple courting. "I'd like to go to bed and close my eyes and just feel you, like you're a lover I haven't seen for a long time and want to get to know again," Ben said.
"That would be very nice. Nice light touches," Dan said.
They stretched out next to each other. Ben rolled toward him and said, "I'll go first if that's ok."
Dan closed his eyes and said, "I'm looking forward to it."
As Ben touched him lightly from the face on down, rubbing areas he could have, at another moment, done so with much more passion, he asked Dan, "Can we talk during this?"
"Sure. Conversation has always been a part of our lovemaking."
"What have you learned from your lovers?"
"There've been four. You, Leonard, Chester, and Alex. There was a fifth but he isn't worth adding to the list." Ben was rubbing his chest across his nipples. "They were all nipple men. Which surprised me. I didn't think men were so aware of that pleasure zone. You and Chester have similar chest and belly hair. Leonard was smoother. Alex from a distance looks smooth, but he has blondish hair covering all over his body. Even his backside. Everybody's cock was average or slightly bigger than. None that were small or reaching seven inches. You and Alex have very similar foreskins. They all like to kiss. Very much. To the point I don't think I want to be with a man who doesn't find kissing a big part of arousal. What about your men?"
"There have been three. I'm counting Roland but not Orvy. Orvy was an outlier, but Roland was memorable. We spent the night together both times. Roland has chest hair much like yours. Gary's body is so much like mine we laugh about it."
"How so?"
"He's twenty five years younger. But our facial growth is similar, even though he sometimes has a short beard. Our height and weight are alike, both of us battle the scale. He's hairy like I am. Dense hair on front nothing on the back except for the tuft in the lower back. We both have a light covering on our ass cheeks. Even our cocks are similar except he's cut."
"Your circumcised doppelganger."
"We joke about that."
"You surprised you found such joy with someone younger?"
"Yes. All the time. But there is an ancient quality about him. Like he could be his age or mine or someone who's seventy-five. He's very funny. Kind of irreverent. Brings the same out of me."
"If you were unencumbered, would you want to see him more often?"
"I guess I'll find out, with Maureen gone. But the drive up to the Cities is daunting. And I haven't thought about asking him down here to stay with me. That's a big leap. I haven't told him Maureen's moved out."
"Do they all like to top or bottom?"
"Roland did, for one night anyway. We flipped. Gary mostly fucks me. But loves it when I do him. As you know, I'm a sucker for bottoming."
"Why do you think it's played out like that?"
"In addition to being incredibly sensitive all over down there, I like the feeling of not being in charge, even if I'm being kind of an aggressive bottom. Somehow, when I look at myself in the mirror, I can smile and accept being a lover of men because I love being fucked."
Dan rolled over so Ben could rub his backside. "What about you with topping? Does Alex love it? I picture him being a bottom."
"That's his preference. The one time he fucked me, he confessed afterward that it didn't feel like himself. But we didn't always fuck. Maybe half the time. Often it was oral. Sometimes we just cuddle and talk."
"In some ways, the possibilities are so much greater than with women. With Maureen, and even thinking back to Ellie, it was by the numbers. Even if oral is heavily involved which is usually the case with Maureen. I always feel the same afterward. Very satisfied most of the time. But still like the traditional man I was raised to be. But with a man, I can feel a range of sensations. Plus, there's no doubt that the men I've been with are much better cock suckers. That's so much fun. Fascinating, really."
Dan slid to his side. "Let me rub you."
As Dan pleasured Ben in this most subtle way, Ben asked, "Did you get aroused?"
"Of course, not hard, but almost there. You didn't touch my cock except in a passing stroke."
"If you touched me, you'd feel me leaking. This is exciting in a very different way."
"Are you done with Roland?"
"As a lover, it would take an extraordinary set of circumstances. We both know that. It was just a weird convergence of timing. We took advantage. We've talked and neither of us has regrets or expect it to happen again. What about you and Chester?"
"I'm welcome to stay at his home whenever I visit Dad. If anyone visits with me, like Marie, it doesn't happen. Jenny hasn't been down, and now it's unlikely."
Dan rubbed Ben's chest and belly. He smiled at Ben's reaction as his hand grazed across the glans. "Want me to stop because it's too arousing?" Dan asked laughing.
"And torture me in other ways? I'm hard because that's supposed to happen in situations like this. Even if we said we were doing this as friends getting reacquainted."
"Of all the men I've been with, your cock gives me the most pleasure. Just looking at it. As a specimen of beauty. It's very handsome."
"A few years ago, I would have said that doesn't mean much. Since I was the only one. But you've got some credibility now. So, thanks. That's very kind of you."
"Roll over."
Dan immediately placed his hands on Ben's ass. "And this, man, I've dreamt of touching this again."
Ben laughed. "Does it look fatter since the last time you touched it?"
"About the same. One of the last times was the magical night of the northern lights. I was in you for a long time as we watched."
"As memorable as it can be."
Dan rested his hand on top of Ben's ass cheeks. "This is so nice. Totally unexpected. Talking and getting used to each other," Dan said.
"Are you tired?" Ben said.
"Yeah. Getting there."
"You can stay with me in the bed. Or head back to the guest room."
"I'll stay."
Ben went into the bathroom to pee. When he returned, Dan was under the bedding, head turned to the side. Ben slid into the other side of the bed and turned the light out. He rested and tried to shut his mind down, but it was still racing with the sexual energy of the past few hours. He didn't know how much time had passed, likely thirty minutes, when he felt Dan's hand in motion toward him. He touched Dan's hand and held it. His desire to kiss Dan was so powerful that he turned toward him. Dan was full of anticipation and their lips met. The kissing was still gentle but each of them understood their desires needed to be released. The full body embrace followed, their deep kissing crossing the lines of months and years, taking them back to their days when they were forty-eight and even as close friends at nineteen. Ben slid down between Dan's knees and took him. The cock felt so familiar and new at the same time. He licked it as he remembered he did the first time when he sought Dan out, after having been tormented by dreams of naked men. His tongue lowered to Dan's balls, still unshaved as his own were. Then underneath that, across his taint. Ben felt like quarts of saliva were pouring out of his mouth. His desire agitating his salivary glands. Dan's cock was rigid and leaking and when Dan tried to stop him with the words, "My turn," Ben continued. Relentless in wanting to show his friend how much he desired him. Dan put his hands on Ben's shoulders, "If you continue I'm going to cum." Ben smiled as he sucked and a minute later Dan erupted pouring his juice into Ben's mouth. Ben rose to kiss him and let him taste his juices. "Jesus," Dan said. "You couldn't pause?"
"Not tonight. Sorry I was so greedy."
Dan laughed. "You always had tremendous skills with your tongue. And just now, the way you ran up and down my shaft while it was in your mouth. Wow. Like you've learned some new tricks."
"So, you're not too upset I didn't pause?" Ben said.
"A gift. From an old friend."
Ben could tell Dan was about to go to sleep. "Sorry, can't stay awake."
Ben rolled over onto his side. His spirit was joyful, wanting to fade into sleep in this mood and wake up feeling the same. This time he was able to drift into sleep. Near dawn, he was awakened by Dan's fingers rubbing his nipples and belly. He rolled onto his back, eyes still closed. Dan slid between his thighs and pleasured him much as he had a few hours earlier. His prolonged licking on his balls and taint brought words to Ben's mouth: "More please, right there."
Dan licked him over and over eventually lapping his anal area causing Ben's hips to ride up and down. When Dan inserted his moist finger inside the anal area and sucked him at the same time, Ben moaned, almost shouted, "O, God, Danny. That feels heavenly."
Dan rode his cock until Ben spurted powerfully into his mouth. When they kissed, they once again exchanged the taste of cum. Ben rolled into Dan and held him as they both faded back into sleep.
An hour later, Ben heard the shower running. Shortly after, Dan stood near the bed getting dressed. "I have some things to do this morning."
"Can I see you again? Last night was unbelievable for me."
"Yeah. Let's do it again in a few weeks."