Making New Memories

Making New Memories - Six

Thank you, Gentle Reader, for opening this story, a series about a man who confronts his past to find a new future. Dave, Jim, and the rest of the cast of characters are fictional, and do not represent any person living or dead. The story is fantasy and exists in that realm. Your feedback is welcome. Drop me a line and let me know what resonates with you, what doesn't, and anything else you'd like me to know. Your feedback can help get me over a block.

Elements in this story include sex between men, some racier elements might include some kinky sex, but for the most part just good old-fashioned cocksucking and fucking. If you enjoy this story, and others like it, please consider making a donation to keep the Nifty archive free and accessible! http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html

Light was streaming in the window when I heard the ringer on my cell phone go off. I grabbed it from the bedside table and rolled onto my back. I realized I was alone, and wondered where Jim had gotten to. I answered the call, mumbling my hello into the receiver.

"Dave? I hope I am not waking you," it was Connie Weathers' cheerful voice.

"No, just moving a little slowly today," I lied.

"I'm afraid the Johansen's have decided not to make an offer on your property at this time," she came right to the point.

"Ah, well, that was just the first nibble, so I guess I can't expect miracles, right?" I was trying to stay positive.

"Well, as I said, the last of the vacationers are leaving, and the window to sell your house quickly is probably closing, but I am optimistic that we'll get it sold before the Summer," she really was a little too perky for my taste. "That will give you more time to bring out some of the best features in the house," she added.

I chuckled in response.

"Why don't you come see me again before you leave town, and we'll talk about strategies for the winter," she suggested.

"Well, I was anticipating leaving tomorrow. Will you be in around Noon tomorrow?"

"Certainly, I'll see you then, Mr. Bishop."

Hanging up the phone, I layed back in bed, looking up at the ceiling. Everything seemed to be moving so quickly -- I felt I had to make decisions about the next direction to take with the house. And Jim ... Jim was swirling around in my mind, causing me to wonder just what I was doing. Certainly he must understand that this was just fun, that I lived thousands of miles away, that I wasn't staying here in Michigan. That would be logical, but then his eyes were so sensitive, his words were so gentle, his methods were more like courting than an affair. If I were being honest, I'd have to say that Jim was a distraction -- but such a nice distraction!

I sat up and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I smelled coffee, and walked out to the loft to look down on the great room. I saw Jim sitting at the table, drinking coffee. A thin blue line of smoke drifted up toward the ceiling from his cigarette, and he was fiddling with his pack of Marlboros.

"Ahoy, the kitchen!" I shouted, in my best sailor voice.

"Um, hi up there," Jim grinned back.

I padded down the wooden stairs as Jim stood to fetch me a cup of coffee. He handed me the coffee and leaned in for a kiss, quick, effortless, a light touch on my cheek. I set down my mug and put my arms around him, finding his lips with mine. It was a nice way to start the morning!

"Hey, no fair, you've showered already!" I said, smelling the soap on his skin.

"Well, I wasn't sure if you were going to be up in time for dinner, or not, so I thought I'd get a little start on the day," he pulled me into his arms, and his eyes smiled their sparkling light at me.

I pinched his nipple.

"Ouch!" he yelped, smiling.

Giving him a quick kiss on his lips, I pulled away. "I'm gonna take a quick shower, so we can enjoy the day," I replied, heading toward the stairs.

"What remains of it..." I could tell he was grinning as he said it.

In the shower, with the water pouring over me, I smiled to myself, thinking about the fun that this day could hold. At the same time, as I was soaping up my furry chest, my stomach sank a little with the realization that I was planning to leave tomorrow. Rinsing off, and putting shampoo in my hair, I felt the water temperature change. The hot water was going out. It was always a complaint here at the cabin -- the hot water heater was slow and small! I rinsed off quickly and grabbed the towel to dry off. In the time it took me to dry off, I had made my decision about my next steps. It was suddenly so clear.

Putting on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, I went downstairs, and found Jim on the porch, sitting with his cup of coffee. He flashed me a smile. "All clean?"

"Yep! As a whistle."

He had a faraway look in his eyes as he was looking out at the lake. "What do you want to do with your last day on Torch Lake?" he asked, quietly.

I felt that sinking in my stomach again. I walked over to him and put my hand on his shoulder and turned his upper body to meet my gaze. "The couple who looked at the house passed on making an offer, and the realtor doesn't think that there will be much more opportunity for interest this season, based on her experience."

"That's too bad," he didn't sound very sympathetic, but he was trying.

I chuckled. "I have an idea, and I'd like to bounce it off you."

His eyes met mine.

"I ran out of hot water this morning..." I began.

"Yep, same thing happened to me. Probably an old water heater, I can check it out later."

"I know it's an old water heater. I remember watching my father put it in," I said, quickly, "but that's not my point," I took a deep breath. "If you'd agree to be my contractor, I think I'd like to do some upgrades on this old place, update it, make it nice." I looked at Jim, and found his eyes watching me, urging me to go on. "So, I think I will take it off the market, and, if you have time this winter, maybe you'd like to take a crack at turning this old place into a real home?"

"Are you trying to hire me?" he was grinning.

I laughed out loud, "Yeah, I guess I am. You for hire?"

He stood up from his chair, and closed the distance between us, "I am glad you're going to give this place a second life. And if it keeps you coming back here a few times between now and next summer, well, I wouldn't mind that either," he winked.

I leaned into him and found his lips with mine. Putting my arms around him, I pressed myself against his belly and the kiss deepened. After a moment or two, I felt Jim pushing away from me.

"Don't think you get a discount for being a good kisser," he pushed his finger into my chest.

I began unbuttoning his shirt, revealing the coarse hair of his chest. Dipping my head, my lips found his nipple. "Then, I guess I better step up my game if I want to get that discount." I dove in to taste his nipple with my tongue, squeezing it gently with my lips.

His moan was all I needed to continue, kissing my way across his chest to his other nipple. He threw his head back in a loud sigh, "Keep goin, pup," he growled.

I licked and sucked his nipples with increasing pressure, feeling his cock harden against my leg and hearing his breathing quicken just a bit. Kneeling in front of him, I unbuckled his belt and popped open the button of his shorts. Looking up at his face, he winked. I let his shorts drop around his ankles, and pulled his briefs down as well. He grunted his approval.

Lips only partially open, I let them glide over the head of his sensitive dick, my tongue and my lips working in tandem to first wet it and then apply pressure, I heard him suck air in over his teeth -- he was enjoying this, so I went in for the kill. One long, slow, smooth movement, I eased my mouth over his cock, feeling it hit bottom against my tonsils as my nose pushed into the softness of his belly. I stayed like that for a moment, allowing my throat to open, and feeling the head of his dick swell in the back of my throat.

Slowly I pulled back, my lips grabbing hold of his shaft, then plunged back down, his cock hitting the back of my throat. I gave him my best blow job, probably the best I'd ever given. His fat cock felt amazing in my mouth, and I loved hearing how he was letting himself get turned on, grunting with every plunge of my lips and throat on his dick. I grabbed his ass, felt my fingers sink into the softness of his chunky backside, and hit against the strength of his glutes -- such a sexy combination. I felt his ass flex as he thrust his hips forward to meet my plunge.

I felt his strong hands run through my hair, at the same time powerful and affectionate. It encouraged me to work harder at pleasing him, my throat, tongue, lips, jaw all working to provide friction, suction, and to cover as much of his thick cock as possible with sensation. I massaged the globes of his ass and worked my way up his sides and back, admiring his strength and the softness of his body. Fur, muscle, and a bit of meat made his body so sensual to me.

"Fuck, Dave, you are getting me close," he grunted.

I sucked harder in response, and he pumped his dick into my mouth. I moved my hands up his body, over the curve of his belly and up to his chest, finding his nipples. I gently stroked, squeezed them, and felt his cock jump in my mouth. I increased my assault on his nipples, and added twisting to my squeezes. He grabbed my head more firmly, and began to thrust into my mouth. I could tell by the way he adjusted his stance in front of me, that he was preparing to fuck my mouth. When his cock hit the back of my throat with the force of his thrust, I was prepared for it, and I showed my appreciation by tweaking his nipples.

I heard his breathing quicken, as he took a sharp inhale, and I felt the knob of his dick swell and pulse, I knew he was on the verge. I plunged onto his shaft all the way, encouraging him to unload into my mouth. With a shudder and a grunt, he let loose, filling my mouth with his sweet cum. I kept bobbing slowly up and down on his shaft -- the warm cum coating my mouth and his dick.

I swallowed, and then gently cleaned his head and shaft before settling back on my haunches and looking up at him. I gave him my sweetest, smug smile.

"I'll cut you five percent," he winked.

I stood up and took his face in my hands and kissed him. I felt the butterflies in my belly and heard the little voice in my head telling me to let go and trust this guy. I closed my eyes, focused on the kiss. It wasn't my place to say more than this moment could handle. My romantic instincts were kicking in, I wanted to gush out my feelings, but that would make an already complicated situation even more difficult. I pushed the thoughts out of my head and pulled back, to see a blushing and smiling Jim.

Leading Jim to the bench on the porch, I sat him down, and went into the house to get us more coffee. He was leaned back, smoking a cigarette when I came back with our mugs topped off. Sitting down next to him, I took his hand in mine.

"You said something last night in Charlevoix that's stuck with me all night," I said, quietly, slowly. "It is time for a new plan concerning my parents. Life didn't give us the opportunity to reconcile, or perhaps life did, but we didn't take advantage of it. At any rate, I need to let them go and say goodbye, putting an end to the hurt and perhaps giving the pleasant memories a chance to be found again." I swirled my fingers around the palm of his strong hands.

"I said all that last night, did I?" he looked at me with his smiling eyes.

"You opened the question in my mind," I replied, "And I am grateful. As you indicated, it needed to be said."

He was silent, but he squeezed my hand.

"So, I have a task today, as a son. My parents requested that their ashes be scattered in the lake. At first, I was going to deny their request, not wanting to unleash them on such a beautiful place," I heard him take a sharp intake or air, almost a grunt. I turned to meet his gaze, and it was confused, showing sadness and discomfort.

"Yeah, I know," I admitted, not needing to hear his words to know the judgment he was passing. "That's harsh. See what twenty-four hours can do?" I tried to lighten the mood.

He was silent.

"Anyway," I went on, "Will you come out on the Riva with me to spread the ashes into the lake?" I let the question sit for a moment, realizing what a big statement it was, and what an enormous request I was making of him.

I felt his hand move up my arm, massaging, pulling at me, and I leaned into him. Jim put his arm around me, and my head rested against his shoulder. Finding my ear with his lips, he kissed me gently, sending shivers down my spine. "I'd be honored to join you."

We sat quietly for another few minutes, finishing our coffee. Draining my mug, I stood up. "There's no time like the present," I said, "I'll be right back," and I went to the car. Opening the trunk, I took out two small boxes containing the cremated remains of my parents.

Jim was standing at the end of the porch, on his way to the water as I returned, and I joined him. Quietly, he removed the cover off the boat, and lowered it into the water. She started up right away, and we were off in a few minutes. I sat next to him, letting him steer, glad for his strength. We went South, down the shore, and as we approached Clam River and Lone Tree Point, I heard the engines slow. I gave Jim a questioning look.

"I saw the pictures hung in the living room -- you and your parents and the dog. It was taken off Lone Tree Point, so I assumed this was a place that you came?"

I loved how attentive he was, how intuitive. I nodded. "Yep, this place was very special to my parents. I think they had their first date here," I replied.

"It's too deep here to anchor, but I'll keep the engines very low. We can maintain our position," Jim was so calm.

I set the boxes side by side, and opened them. A plastic bag was in each one. Picking up one, I held it. For all our posturing, our ideas, our successes and failures, our pain and our joy, we certainly were easily reduced. A bag of ashes and bone fragments, about four pounds, was all that was left.

"Do you suppose I should mix them together, and then spread them?" I hadn't really thought this through.

Jim came up and stood behind me. I could feel his belly pressing against my back, and I could feel his warm breath on the back of my neck. "I think they went out of this world together, and there's no reason that you should keep them apart now, either," Jim shared his wisdom with humility.

I looked down, and opened a small compartment. I pulled out a bucket, one my dad had used to wash the boat down. I poured the contents of one bag, then the other into the pail. I looked up at Jim, and he gave me a compassionate smile. It seemed odd to pour something so important into a plastic pail that my father used for washing down the boat, but then it also seemed so logical, so circular.

I leaned over the side of the boat, and brought the pail low to the water, and slowly scattered the ashes into the small waves of Torch Lake. Behind me I heard Jim's voice.

"We therefore commit these bodies to the deep, to be turned into corruption, looking for the resurrection of the body when the sea shall give up her dead, and the life of the world to come, through our Lord Jesus Christ; who at his coming shall change our fleshly body, that it may be like his glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself."

The last of the ashes fell out of the pail, and I filled it with water, swishing it around, and pouring it back into the lake.

I turned to face Jim, and he was crying quietly. I set down the pail and approached him, putting my arms around his shoulders. "This is one helluva date, eh?" I nudged him.

He chuckled sardonically, "You sure know how to pick `em," he winked back.

"Thanks for being here. While I realize that we're newly in each others' lives, I really can't think of anyone I would rather have by my side right now," I met his gaze, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something like confusion or fear mixed with his compassion. "And what's with the Naval burial?" I squeezed his shoulder and smiled, "Just something you had lying around?"

"My uncle was a Sailor, and I saw them in his prayer book as a kid. I always liked the words, and memorized them," he admitted.

"So, you don't moonlight as a mortician or something?"

Jim laughed, and as I looked into his eyes, the twinkle was back.

We stood in the boat for a few minutes, watching the small waves, the blue sky and the green trees meeting the blue lake. I felt my anger sinking into the lake, washing away, I was letting go.

I drove the boat slowly away from that spot, toward the deep center of the lake, where I cut the engines and let us drift on the wavelets. This was something I had loved as a child -- the sound of the waves lapping against the polished wood of the boat; the gentle rocking on the breeze; the warmth of the sun on my face. I closed my eyes and allowed the day to continue around me. Eventually, I heard Jim turn on the engines, and felt the boat slowly moving. Opening my eyes, I could see that we were nearing the shore. I was glad Jim was in control.

"Let's get some lunch at the Clam River Inn," I said, stepping up to the wheel and giving the Riva a bit of gas. I steered us across the lake, and within a few minutes we pulled up to the dock and, tying up the boat, we headed in for burgers and beers. As the table was cleared, Jim pulled out his pack of Marlboros and lit up a post-lunch smoke.

I casually grabbed his hand across the table, and ran my thumb along the thick pad of his palm, before pulling my hand back. "Jim," I started, "If you're free for the next couple of days, I'd like to stay on through the weekend. In addition to mapping out a plan of work we could do on the house, and maybe getting you set up with a Home Depot card for the project, I would be honored to spend a few more days getting to know you," I looked up to meet his gaze, and saw that look again in his eyes, confusion, conflict.

Jim nodded, slowly, thoughtfully. He reached across the table, squeezed my hand, and said, "let's be off."

It was a scorcher of a day. The boat safely docked, we headed back up the path to the house. The further away from the lake we got, more stifling it became. I felt sweat on my brow. Jim and I spent the afternoon walking around with a clipboard and a measuring tape. I mostly stood by, listening to Jim mumble, and occasionally ask me to hold something or measure something for him. When he was finished, we had a long list of tasks with Jim's estimate of materials and potential costs.

He grabbed two beers from the fridge and we sat down at the kitchen table. "Ok, so before you look at the bottom line," he started to say, "just..."

"160,000 dollars?!" I exclaimed.

"As I was saying," he interrupted my interruption, "I broke it down into projects, which we can prioritize. Some of them are essential, I'd say, and some of them are optional. And yes, this place needs a lot of work to bring it up into this millennium."

I was silent, trying to keep an open mind. Really, everything he said made sense. Some practical, some necessary, some cosmetic, if I were going to do this renovation right, he had the best ideas for it.

"So, how does this work, then," I asked, "where do we begin?"

I appreciated how Jim took control, his experience as a contractor coming out. With a few difficult conversations, and some vision, we had prioritized the list. First the electrical and plumbing, codes had changed. Next the kitchen, which was rustic even in its prime. "People want to feel like they can cook up a gourmet meal, even if they only ever use the microwave," Jim said with an implied sigh. Essential things like changing out light fixtures, window treatments. Those were pretty easy to agree to. Updating the bathrooms were a harder sell, as they needed to be gutted floor to ceiling and reimagined entirely.

"OK," I said.

"OK?" He asked, as if he were expecting more.

"Yeah, ok," I took a deep breath, "Let's bring this place up to date. I'd rather us do the work than someone else come in and rip it down to studs and start over. This cottage has..." I paused to think over my words, "this cottage has been a good place for a long time."

Jim reached over and took my hand, running the pad of his thick thumb across my palm. He smiled at me.

"Well, good, I am glad you feel that way," he said, flipping over his worksheet to reveal a second set of numbers, "because I have another idea that I think would really put this over the top."

I groaned. "And this is above the $160K, I suppose?"

"Just hear me out," he hid the bottom line from my view. "We could take out some of the trees that are on the lakeshore. You have 400 feet of lakefront, and you're only using about 50 for your landing. We could expand the beach some, giving people a place to, for example. play in some sand, put in maybe a seating area and fireplace / grill..." He was dreaming, and I was caught up in how excited he was about the project.

"That sounds reasonable," I said, interrupting, "and probably not too much more on the bottom line..."

"And build a two story boathouse with a place to store the Riva and canoes at the water level and with a little bedroom and bathroom upstairs, you know, like a guesthouse."

I spit my beer out. "What?! New construction? A guesthouse?" I grabbed the worksheet from the table. "Another two hundred thousand?"

"Give or take," he said with a smirk. "But, really, Dave, I am not bullshitting you, this would be sweet."

"I am not sure about it. Yeah, I am good with the vision, and see the benefit. Hell, it sounds like it would be a beautiful place. But I am not sure about another two hundred grand."

Jim chuckled. "Yeah, I figured it might be a hard sell. Tell ya what," he paused to light up a smoke, "think about it. We'd have to put in the foundation before the cold, to get it at least framed and weatherproofed before the snow..."

"Let's go into town, you can buy me dinner and a beer and see if you can talk me into the idea," I suggested, with a wink.

We headed into Central Lake to a small pizzeria where we were one of two tables filled, and over pizza and beer we laid out our plans for the next few days. I'd write him a check up front to cover the immediate costs, and set him up with a card at a home improvement store in Traverse City. I'd stay through the weekend and into next week, and then head back once things were underway. Jim would take care of permits, and send me anything that needed my signature. We were off and rolling.

By the time we got home and had another couple of beers, we were exhausted, and headed up the stairs to bed.

"I'll spend the night if you let me get a little sleep," Jim winked.

"Right to bed, I promise!" I replied, crossing my heart.

It didn't take long, naked, teeth brushed, I pulled back the sheets and we climbed into bed. Jim was lying on his back and I had my head on his chest, one hand lazily running fingers through his chest fur, and the other cradling his neck against the pillow. I reflected on the day, the decisions I was making, listened to Jim's breathing, slow and steady. Absentmindedly, my fingers drew small circles around his left nipple, and I felt it get hard. Reaching out with my tongue I flicked it.

"You're playin with fire, boy," Jim husked.

"I don't mind a little burn now and then," I replied, mumbling into his chest.

"What happened to letting me sleep?"

"All I promised was right to bed," and with that, I stepped up my assault on his nipple. Hearing Jim moan softly, I slipped my hand from behind his neck to his shoulder, and pulled myself squarely on top of him, our cocks hardening quickly as they started to grind together. My hands, finger tips, tongue were working on his nipples, caressing, pinching, nipping, raking, stimulating him in every way possible.

Our mouths met in a passionate kiss, a combination of minty toothpaste and a hint of tobacco spice, he tasted like a man! It awoke the passion inside of me, and I knew what I wanted. I pressed myself into him and slid our cocks together, hearing him gently moan. Our kiss intensified, as if such a thing were possible. I moved from his lips to his jawline, his throat, his ears, his cock pushing into my belly and against my dick as I hit each erogenous zone in turn. I felt his hands moving down my back towards my ass, playing with my butt, moving his fingers close to my hole. I felt him spread my cheeks, and that's when I took control again, grasping his wrists, and pulling his arms back over his head, holding him down on the pillow.

I saw a flash of confusion, a flicker of aggression, and then he cocked his left eyebrow at me. This only encouraged me to continue. I held his wrists firmly in place and resumed nuzzling and kissing his neck, grinding my cock against his. Dipping my head down, I licked his chest and flicked his right nipple with my tongue. I felt him buck his hips instinctively into me. I hooked my ankles and calves around his legs -- he wasn't moving anywhere for now. I grazed his nipple with my teeth and felt him suck air in sharply. Looking up at him, I winked, and did it again. He groaned.

Against my belly, I felt a slight wetness -- was it his precum, or mine? I kept up my rhythm of sliding across his dick and playing with his pecs. I sucked on his nipple and felt him buck into me, and another squirt of wetness -- so it was his prefuck! I knew I was really turning him on ... Time to change it up again.

I scooted up, getting into a kneeling position, straddling his hard cock, and saw how hard, purple, wet the head of his dick was. I grabbed his wrists and slid my ass over his cock, teasing him, moving up and down, slowly back and forth, his precum creating a sticky, slippery trail. I looked up and met his gaze. Jim licked his lips. "Go for it, fucker," he growled at me.

I drooled some spit onto his dick, adding to his precum, and moved my ass above his dick. Sliding slowly back, I felt his hard head against my hole. It met with resistance. Jim was staring at me, his gaze locked on mine. I inched back, felt his dick at my ring. "Do it," Jim barked, thrusting his hips up. "Ride my fat dick."

With one slow, fluid, long motion, I backed onto his dick, felt it slip past my ring, and enter my ass. Jim moaned softly as I took in inch after inch, until finally my balls were resting on his belly. "Ooof," he husked, contentedly. I held my place there, feeling his dick inside my hole, knowing he wanted to move in me. I settled back on my haunches, and let go of his hands, moving my fingers to his nipples, rubbing them gently, and then more deliberately. As I squeezed both nipples, I clenched my ass, feeling it close in around his cock. He licked his lips. I began a rhythmic pulse in my ass, clenching, relaxing, clenching again, milking his cock inside me as I flicked his nipples with more strength and speed. I saw a bead of sweat on his brow, and I never broke his gaze.

Finally, I raised myself up, feeling his cock slide almost out of me, and then plunged down again on to him, his dick sliding along my nub as I fucked myself on him. I established a motion, up and down, quick strokes, fully taking his whole cock and then almost letting him pop out before plunging again. Time after time. I grabbed onto his pecs to steady myself as I increased my pace. Pulling almost all the way off, I gave him a dozen or so quick thrusts, just at his head and the first inch of his thick cock, and I heard him groan. Smiling with satisfaction, I thrust onto him again for a few times, and then went back to the tip of his cock. It was driving him crazy, and it was making me sweat!

Wiping my hand across my brow, it was covered in slick sweat, I extended my hand to his mouth, and he licked it off. "Fuck, boy, that tastes good! Salty!" and he thrust into me. Returning my hand to his pecs, I grabbed on and rode hard, feeling his dick slide against my prostate was bringing me off too, and finally, I was at the tipping point. I grabbed my cock, and aimed it at his face. Ropes of cum shot out of me as I fucked myself on his dick, and I grunted with each blast, watching it coat his beard, his chin, his chest, and dribble onto his belly. Clenching my ass, I gave him a final plunge, and he roared, a sound so gutteral it began deep inside him and erupted, just as his cum shot into my hungry ass. I felt the hot jizz coating me.

As he stopped shooting, I fell on top of him, our sweat and my cum creating a sticky mess between us. I burrowed my lips into the crook of his neck, clenching my ass to keep his cock inside me as long as possible. I felt his arms around me, his strong, rough hands massaging my lower back. Rolling me over, he popped out of my ass, and we kissed. Lazy, romantic, deep kisses. I ran my fingers across his chest, feeling the fur, the softness, the strength.

"I love the way I feel inside you, and it makes me happy that you keep my cum," Jim murmured against my lips.

"It feels great to have you inside me. It's been years since someone has come knocking on my back door, you're welcome anytime," I said with a wink. Our breathing returned to normal and we settled against each other, the cum beginning to crust and cement us together.

"So, what gives? You are a good looking guy, you seem to be a nice guy who thinks of others. Why are you single?" Jim rolled over onto his back and grabbed his cigarettes off the table.

I thought for a moment how I would have never let any other man smoke in my bed, but with Jim it just seemed ok, a part of the package. "Oh, you know, the usual ... wrong time, wrong guy, wrong place," I hoped this would end a conversation I didn't want to have.

Jim lit his Marlboro and took a deep drag, holding it in a couple of seconds before slowly letting it out. He looked like he was going to say something more on the topic, but he offered only a slight smile and rubbed my chin with his thumb.

I scooted closer to him, my arm wrapped around his chest and my legs wrapped around his. His arm reached across my back, gently rubbing me. I listened to him inhale and exhale, heard the steady rhythm of his heartbeat. "I guess your question deserves more of an answer," I said, realizing that this was a beautiful moment of connection and vulnerability.

"I've had a little therapy," I continued, "enough to know that I don't often let people in too close. I guess I prefer an exit strategy, for when the inevitable conflict or disappointment comes up."

As I voiced the word `disappointment' I saw it cross his face, briefly, but as quickly, the tender, curious gaze returned. I rested my chin on his furry chest and looked up at his face as he took a long draw from his cigarette. I felt his chest rise, and then fall as he slowly exhaled toward the ceiling. "An exit strategy, like leaving at the end of the week?" He asked, one eyebrow cocked.

I felt deflated - he might as well have socked me in the stomach. I had a sinking feeling, like I was losing something. My mind scrambled - what loss was I feeling? I hardly knew Jim. I did not know what to say, and I stalled for time by kissing his chest and running my hand along the top of his shoulder. I felt his big, strong hand on the back of my head, gently playing with my hair.

"That wasn't fair of me," Jim said, quietly, as he continued to scratch my head with one hand, and stubbed out his cigarette with the other.

"Fair, or not, it was accurate," I said, resignedly. "But I am not running for the exit just now. I feel safe." I paused for a moment, realizing the gravity of the moment and those words. "I feel safe," I repeated, testing them again. And I did.

Here in my old room, where the worst ending happened with my family, where my young life had taken an abrupt turn, I felt safe. Was it time? Distance from the traumatic event? Or was it Jim? Did Jim make me feel safe?

Jim moved his hand down my back and pulled my closer, my cheek smushed against his chest. We laid like that, quietly, listening to our breathing, and to the crickets and other night insects, the occasional rustle of leaves. It was a peaceful time. Every time I woke in the middle of the night I was able to remember that I was safe, happy, comfortable. Jim was there.

End of Chapter Six

Vulnerability, overcoming pain, new horizons seem to be what both our boys are experiencing together. They're definitely pushing each other into realms that haven't been explored in a while. Now Dave is staying for a few more days, and he's committed to a project that will maintain their connection even longer. What does the future have in store for these guys? Let's find out together.

Feedback, improvements, ideas always welcome.