Date: Sun, 21 Jun 2009 13:17:09 -0500
From: Justin <justin1326@gmail.com>
Subject: The Inn - Chapter 16

Luke started putting the food on the grill and Jon made sure everyone had
drinks. The group migrated out to the patio.

Jon went back to the kitchen to get a clean platter. He heard a knock at
the door and when he opened it he saw a middle-aged couple.

"Mr. Sorensen!" Jon exclaimed.

The Inn - Chapter 16

"Hello, Jon. This is my wife, Linda."

"I'm pleased to meet you. I'm Jon." Jon shook her hand. He didn't know what
else to do or say.

"Is Luke here?" asked Mr. Sorensen.

"Oh, yes. I'm sorry, come in and I'll get him."

When Jon left, they glanced around Luke's condo. They were favorably
impressed with how nice it looked. The furniture was understated and
contemporary with a masculine feel.

Jon walked up to Luke at the grill and said in a low voice, "Luke, your
parents are here--both of them. They're in the living room."

Luke looked at Jon in disbelief. "Damn, what are they doing here?" He
turned to Cathy and asked her to watch the grill for a few minutes. "Jon, I
want you to come with me."

They went to the living room and Luke shook his father's hand. His mother
put her hand to her mouth when she saw Luke's bruised and swollen
face. Luke gave her a quick hug. Jon felt a little nervous and hung back a
few feet.

"What brings you here? I don't think you've ever been here before."

"Your mother wanted to see you after I saw you in the hospital and told her
what happened."

Mrs. Sorensen said, "Luke, are you all right? You don't look good and you
look tired."

"I'll be fine, it just hurts a lot and I have a hard time sleeping. We're
having a little party for some friends; they were a big help to Jon and me
through all this."

"We'll be going, then--we don't want to intrude. We just wanted to be sure
you're okay," said Mr. Sorensen.

Jon was shocked at Luke's next words: "Why don't you stay for a while? We
have plenty to eat and drink."

"Well, if you're sure it's all right..." said Mrs. Sorensen.

"Can I get you something to drink?" asked Jon. He got a beer for Luke's
father and white wine for his mother. The four of them walked out to the
patio.

"Everyone, these are my parents, Greg and Linda."

The group welcomed the couple and introduced themselves. Most of them
weren't fully aware of the strained relationship they had with their
son. The Sorensens were initially uncomfortable with the group--they
assumed they were surrounded by homosexuals. It wasn't too long before they
began to relax, finding everyone friendly and they all seemed to be
"normal." A short time later Linda found herself chatting with Cathy and
Angie; Greg was talking baseball with Joe, Chris and Tom. Luke took the
ribs and chicken off the grill and arranged it on platters while Jon
brought out the cole slaw and potato salad Cathy had brought.

"Dig in, everybody!" Luke said. He went inside to get condiments and Jon
followed.

"Luke, you never cease to amaze me. What made you invite your parents to
stay?"

"It would be pretty ignorant not to, and since I'm on my own turf I figured
it should be okay. So far they seem civil, but if I hear one slur I'm
kicking their butts outta here. No one is going to insult our friends in my
house."

Luke headed back to the patio to finish grilling and keep an eye on his
parents. There was a knock at the door. Jon answered and was pleased to see
Connie.

"Connie! I'm glad you could make it. Come on in."

"Thanks, Jon. You have a very nice place here."

"This is Luke's place; I live just up the road. What would you like to
drink?"

"A beer will be fine. How is Luke feeling?"

"It depends on when you catch him, he has his ups and downs. Tonight he
seems a little better. Come out to the patio and I'll introduce you."

Jon introduced Connie to the crowd, then stood beside Luke, putting his arm
around his back and resting his hand on his shoulder. "And this is
Luke. Luke, my boss Connie."

Luke smiled and shook Connie's hand. "I'm happy to meet you. I've heard
many good things about you and your company."

"Luke, it's a pleasure to meet you finally. Jon mentions you frequently,
and I've been wanting to meet the man who's responsible for his joie de
vivre. Whatever you're doing, keep it up! Oh, um..." Connie waved his
hand. "Never mind."

Jon and Luke laughed at Connie's faux pas. Connie saw Cathy. "Now there's a
familiar face. Excuse me a moment." Connie went up to Cathy and they began
talking.

Everyone was fixing plates and finding a place to sit. Cathy had brought a
blanket and the three women had an impromptu picnic on the lawn next to the
patio. Luke was keeping an ear cocked in case one of his parents got out of
line, but everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves. Linda re-joined her
husband and the couple found themselves talking with Chris, Mike and Paul.

"Luke, come over here," said Mike. "You probably haven't heard all of
this." They related in detail what happened the night Luke was attacked.

"Oh, my heavens!" said Linda. "Then you men are heroes! There's no telling
what might have happened to Luke if you weren't there."

"Everyone watches out for each other in that neighborhood," said
Chris. "It's rare for something like this to happen, but it used to be
common not too many years ago."

Luke stood. "Everyone, I want to thank you all for coming tonight and for
everything you've done for Jon and me. Jon has been putting up with me the
past week, and I haven't always been a model patient. And Tom, Chris, Carl
and Mike--if it weren't for them you might be at a funeral tonight instead
of a party. I just want you all to know that I realize how fortunate we are
to have you as our friends. Jon and I are grateful and thankful to each of
you. I'd love to give everyone a big hug, but I think you'll have to settle
for my thanks and we love you all."

The group smiled and clapped softly. Luke smiled, raised his beer to them,
and sat down slowly with Jon standing behind him, Jon's hands gently
resting on his shoulders. Jon bent down and quickly kissed the top of
Luke's head. He felt a little self-conscious doing that in front of Luke's
parents, but he decided he wasn't going to change his behavior for anyone.

"Luke, your mother and I are going to get back home now. Thank you for
inviting us in, we had a nice time."

Luke started to get up.

"Don't bother--I know it must be difficult. Jon can show us out."

Luke shook his father's hand and his mother pecked him on the cheek. They
said good night to the others and Jon led them to the door.

"I'm glad you came, Mr. and Mrs. Sorensen. I'm sure it meant a lot to
Luke. Have a pleasant evening."

"You, too," said Mr. Sorensen.

"It was nice meeting you, Jon. Good night now," said Mrs. Sorensen.

The couple got in their car and Greg started driving. "I've never been in
the middle of so many homosexuals in my life!"

"They weren't all homosexual," said Linda.

"No? How could you tell?"

"I couldn't, but I was talking with the gals and from our conversation I
got the idea several of them are straight."

"I have to admit, they weren't like what I would expect. They all seemed
like nice, normal young people."

"I thought so, too."



Jon returned to the patio and smiled at Luke. "Anyone need drinks?" he
asked.

"I don't know," said Carl. "It's getting dark, and we're not used to
driving in the wilderness."

"Why don't you spend the night?" asked Luke. "Between Jon and me we have
enough room, as long as a couple of you don't mind sleeping on a
couch. Tomorrow we can all have breakfast and you'll have a fresh start."

"It's okay with me. What about you guys?" he asked of the others.

They all agreed. Chris and Mike took out their phones and called neighbors
to ask them to feed their cats.

"Okay, Jon, where's that beer?" rumbled Carl.

Jon offered a beer to Connie, but he decided he should be calling it a
night. He said goodbye to everyone and Jon and Luke walked him to the door.

Luke shook Connie's hand and said, "I'm glad we got a chance to meet."

"Me too, Luke. Now take care of yourself, but I know I don't need to say
that. I know Jon, and I know you don't have any choice in the matter."

Connie shook Jon's hand and patted him on the back. Jon and Luke returned
to the patio.

"Your parents seemed nice, Luke. We had a good time talking with your
father," said Tom.

"That's what everyone thinks. You didn't live with them."

"Oh, sorry. I just meant they seemed okay."

"I know. They were on their good behavior. I don't even know why they
showed up tonight. They haven't given a damn about me up to now. It's a
relief they're gone."

Jon returned from the kitchen with a six-pack. He had heard Luke's reply
and after he handed out the beers he put his hand on the back of Luke's
neck.

"Wow! Your hands are cold!" said Luke.

Jon massaged Luke's neck. "Don't let it bother you, hon. Obviously they
care about you or they wouldn't have come. Maybe they're mellowing in their
old age."

"I seriously doubt that. Anyway, let's figure out the sleeping arrangements
before we get too wasted. Jon, why don't you and Tom and I go to your place
and Carl, Chris and Mike can stay here?"

"Fine with me. Don't forget to bring your pills."

Angie and Cathy joined the men on the patio and they chatted and drank
their beers. It was a warm, clear night and as the conversation slowed they
became lost in their own thoughts.

"Boy, you sure can see a lot of stars out here." said Chris. "And it's so
quiet."

Luke said, "When I moved to the city, the noise made me crazy at
first. Then when I moved back here it was eerie how quiet it was. I guess
you get used to most anything."

"I like this area," said Tom. "It's almost like a resort. We got lost when
we got here, so it gave us a chance to see quite a bit of the
neighborhood. There's a lot to do around here."

"Everyone gets lost when they first come here," said Cathy. "It took me a
couple of months before I really knew the lay of the land. Well, I think
I'm going to get home. I had a nice time, guys."

Jon walked Cathy and Angie to the door, then grabbed the last six-pack on
his way back to the patio. Luke seemed to be feeling pretty good tonight,
he observed. He handed everyone a beer and sat next to Luke.

"You're drinking with the Vicodin?" asked Jon.

"Yeah, I haven't had that much to drink and besides it seems to work a lot
better. I'm not going anywhere and I have all you guys around." Luke
yawned.

Jon put his hand on Luke's arm. "Just be careful. All we need is for you to
fall down and break something else. Are you about ready for bed?"

"Yeah, it's getting late. Hey, guys, let's all meet back here tomorrow
around nine, then we can go to breakfast. Jon, show Carl, Mike and Chris
where everything is."

Jon showed the guys the bedroom and grabbed a pillow and blanket which he
put on the couch. Jon checked the bathroom and placed three toothbrushes by
the sink. He had bought a half-dozen a couple of months ago when they were
on sale. He put two more in his pocket that he'd take home. Carl
volunteered to sleep on the couch--he knew Mike and Chris had had a fling a
couple of years ago. Even though that didn't last, the two still had sex
with each other now and then. Tom and Luke came inside and said good night,
then they left with Jon to go to his condo.

Jon set the alarm for 8:00 and he and Luke got into bed.

"You do seem to be relatively pain-free tonight, maybe you'll sleep
better. Did you take a sleeping pill?"

"No, I think the beer will do the trick. Speaking of tricks..."

With some difficulty Luke managed to get to his knees in front of Jon. He
was horny for the first time in almost a week and he smiled at Jon.

"I think I can do this. Just let me do everything until I figure out what I
can and can't do. Whatever you do, don't wrap your legs around me like you
usually do."

With a few adjustments Luke was able to get into a comfortable position and
enter Jon. He was slower and more restrained than usual, but they both
found it exciting. Luke was surprised he could do as well as he did, and
the more excited he became, the less he noticed the pain. Jon groaned and
was soon shooting a massive load onto his chest and stomach. That triggered
Luke, and Jon could feel him erupt inside him. They remained motionless for
a couple of minutes, panting. The only thing Jon missed was Luke lying on
him afterward--Luke still couldn't put any pressure on his chest. Luke
resumed his position on his back next to Jon. Jon retrieved his boxers and
cleaned himself up.

"Luke, promise me you won't make me go a week without making love to you
again."

"I promise. This wasn't my idea, you know. Damn, I've missed sex with
you. The pain kept my mind off it most the time but it was frustrating.

"Worrying about you kept me preoccupied, but I was still dying to ravish
your body. This made up for it."

"I think we can look forward to it just getting better from now on. I just
hope I hurry up and stop hurting so much."

"Are you all right now?"

"Yes, I'm just tired. Let's try to get to sleep."



The alarm went off and Jon quickly silenced it. He went to the bathroom and
pissed, then got a glass of water and Luke's pills. When he returned, Luke
was sitting on the edge of the bed, breathing heavily. Jon could see a
sheen of perspiration on his forehead.

"What's wrong?"

"I think I went a little overboard yesterday, with all the activity all
day. And you, forcing me into unnatural positions last night. But I'm not
complaining."

Jon winked at him. "Do you want to stay in bed? There's no reason you have
to get up right away."

"No, I should get up and I'll be okay in a while. No pain, no gain."

Jon went into the living room and woke Tom up, then proceeded to the
kitchen to make coffee. He told Tom to use the bathroom since it would
probably be a few minutes before Luke made it there. When Tom came back to
the living room he sat on the couch. Jon handed him a cup of coffee and sat
next to him.

"How's Luke this morning?" asked Tom.

"He's hurtin'. Yesterday was a big day for him."

"So was last night, from what I couldn't help but hear."

Jon smiled and blushed. "Oh, jeez. I thought we were being quiet."

"Maybe you were, for you guys--how would I know? Check with your
neighbors."

Luke emerged from the bathroom and Jon and Tom separated to make room for
him. He slowly sat on the couch, bracing his hands on their shoulders. Jon
handed him coffee and put his arm around him. He was still feeling the
excitement of the previous night, and just being close to Luke made him
horny all over again. When they'd finished their coffee, Luke again put his
hands on their shoulders and stood.

"We should get back to my place and see how those guys survived a night in
the boondocks."

Tom laughed. "I told them there are bears and coyotes out here. I think
they believed me."

"No bears, just some very big dogs," said Jon. "But I have seen a couple of
foxes and some deer."

When they got to Luke's they found the three guys dressed and ready.

"Did you guys sleep okay?" asked Luke.

"We were fine," said Mike. "It was almost like being in a hotel on
vacation."

Carl rolled his eyes. "Yeah, the honeymoon suite. These guys are like
rabbits."

Tom laughed. "It must be all the fresh air out here. I hardly got a wink of
sleep with these two in the next room."

Jon asked Luke, "Do you think we should go to the restaurant downtown, or
do the Sunday brunch at The Inn?"

"Let's do the brunch--we can walk and then stuff ourselves. I'm hungry this
morning."

Jon called Paul, Cathy and Joe. They agreed to meet at The Inn in twenty
minutes. They left and began walking to The Inn and everyone noticed Luke
was walking slower than normal, so they all assumed a more leisurely
pace. When they arrived, Jon told Erik, one of the busboys, that there
would be nine of them. Erik asked them to wait a few minutes while he
arranged a table for them. As usual, there was a sizeable crowd for the
brunch.

"This is really nice," said Carl as he looked around. "Is it a private club
for the residents?"

"No," answered Luke, "it's open to the public. But everyone knows
everyone. It's very much a 'Cheers' kind of place."

Erik returned and showed them to their table, and Luke noticed Carl eying
him. He couldn't blame Carl--Erik was a very attractive Hispanic young
man. He was about five-ten and when he smiled his dimples showed. Jon was
glad their table was near the windows and in a corner. He had Luke sit at
the head of the table near the wall. That way he could guard him if people
came up and wanted to hug him or pat him on the back. It had been over a
week since he and Jon had been there, and they had to explain their absence
and Luke's appearance to a number of friends and acquaintances.

Cathy, Paul and Joe arrived and sat as Amanda, the waitress, brought a
pitcher of orange juice to the table. She described the buffet for them and
asked if there was anything else they would like. There wasn't, and she
promised to check back with them. The group got up to attack the buffet and
Jon kept a watchful eye on Luke. He realized he was probably being
overly-protective, but he didn't care. It made him nervous when there were
so many people around.

They returned to their table and began eating. The food was very good and
they were all enjoying themselves.

Paul asked, "Jon, are you going to go to work tomorrow?"

"Yes, Luke's doing okay and I'll be close. Oh, Joe, I was going to ask
you. Can you check in with Luke a couple of times?"

"I don't need a babysitter, Jon."

"Sure I can. I'm on vacation all week and I just got back from Denver so
I'm not going anywhere. We can keep each other company, Luke."

"That's good," said Jon. "I don't think I'll even have time for lunch
tomorrow. There's going to be a lot to catch up with."

Joe stood to go back to the buffet. Jon glanced at his plate and did a
double-take.

"What did you do--inhale your food? I don't know how you stay in such good
shape eating the amount you do."

"I'm a growing boy," Joe laughed as he headed back to the buffet.

It was true, Joe was definitely growing. He had started lifting weights in
the past year and found he enjoyed it. Initially Jon was concerned he might
be using steroids because he was packing on muscle so fast, but he
wasn't. Joe was an "easy gainer" and his muscles quickly responded to the
training. That inspired Joe even more, and he got in the habit of going to
the gym five days a week--every morning before work and sometimes on
Saturday.

Joe returned with another plateful of food. By the time he was half
finished, the others were ready for a second trip. When they returned, Joe
had finished his second plate and was contemplating a third trip. He
decided to go for it since everyone else had food in front of them. The
whole group eventually finished their breakfast and settled back to have
more coffee and chat.

"How was your trip to Denver, Joe?" asked Cathy.

"It was nice--I had a good time. I spent Sunday with my parents and that
was fun, I haven't seen them for a while. And even the seminar I went to
was interesting. It was a good trip. But I feel guilty that I wasn't here
for you guys."

"Don't be," said Jon. "Everything worked out okay. I'm glad someone was
having a good time."

"Well, still, I wish I could have helped."

"You can help this week by watching--uh--I mean keeping Luke company."

Luke gave Jon a look but didn't say anything.

"I'll be there bright and early, right after the gym. About 7:30. Gee,
maybe I should plan some activities for Luke. Are there any TV shows you
don't want him watching?"

"No horror movies--you'll never get him to sleep. Maybe I should figure out
how to use the Parental Controls."

"All right," interrupted Luke. "Enough. After a week with you two, I'm
going to be dying to get back to work."

"When do you think you'll be able to go to work?" asked Joe.

"I hope I can go back a week from tomorrow. I should be able to by then."

"We'll see," said Jon.

Luke gave him a stern look. "No, I will see. I will see how I feel, and I
will decide when I can go back to work."

Jon knew this was not the time to pursue this conversation. Luke had a
short temper the past week, and Jon could understand, considering all he'd
been through, plus the medication he was taking put him on edge. He decided
to bite his tongue and cut Luke some slack--he didn't want to get into an
argument over something that would resolve itself anyway.

Mike, Tom, Chris and Carl decided they should get back home and they asked
about the check.

"Jon and I already took care of it," said Luke. "It's the least we can do
for you guys."

The four thanked them and they all exchanged quick hugs. When they'd left,
the rest sat back down to finish their coffee.

"I'm glad those guys came," said Cathy. "It was nice to finally meet them
so I can match a face to the names I hear. And what is it about gay men? Do
they all come from central casting? They're all so damn good-looking."

Paul put his hand on Joe's shoulder. "Hey, what about us?"

"Oh, you know what I mean. And you guys are cute enough to be gay, too."

Paul smiled at Cathy. "Gee, thanks--I think."

They all got up and walked outside. Paul, Joe and Cathy decided they'd go
for a walk along the lake before it got too hot--the past several days had
been in the 90s. Luke wanted to go home and rest for a while, so he and Jon
headed to his condo. When they arrived, Luke sat on the couch and Jon sat
on the other end of it.

"Luke, I know this week has been hard for you and I know I make you crazy
at times. But you have to understand that I'm going through this,
too. Hell, you slept through half of it. I didn't know if I was about to
lose you, and that thought scared the shit out of me. I hate the idea of
going to work tomorrow and not seeing you all day. I know you'll be fine,
but ever since this happened I've been afraid to let you out of my sight. I
feel like each time I see you, it might be the last time I do."

Luke picked up a throw pillow and placed it on his lap. "Come over here,"
he said to Jon.

Jon swung around and moved closer to Luke, resting his head gently on the
pillow. He looked up at Luke. Luke placed his hand on Jon's head and gently
stroked his forehead with his thumb. Luke sighed.

"I know I've been bitchy, but you know I don't mean it. I'm sure that
doesn't make it any easier to take, but I'll try to control myself. I guess
I just have to vent my frustration, and unfortunately you're usually the
one who has to listen to it. But when this is all behind us, I'm going to
make it up to you. I promise."

"All you have to do is take care of yourself and get well. That's all I
want."

They relaxed with each other for another half-hour, then Jon went to get
the newspaper. When he returned they both went to the patio. Jon scanned
the main sections of the paper and then started working on the crossword
puzzle. Luke eased into one of the lounge chairs and stretched out in the
sun.

"Let's just munch on the leftover ribs and chicken tonight," said
Jon. "It's too hot to cook, and that would be a lot easier."

"Sounds good, I'm still full from breakfast. That would make a nice dinner,
and I think we still have some potato salad."

Jon continued working on his puzzle for a while and then paused. He looked
at Luke--he had dozed off and was relaxed with a peaceful look on his
face. Jon looked at Luke's eyes, his mouth, his hair, his chest,
everything. Jon could honestly say he'd never seen a more handsome man. Nor
had he ever met a more caring, wonderful person. Jon couldn't get the
thought out of his mind of what he would have done had things gone bad for
Luke. If Luke hadn't pulled through, Jon knew he wouldn't want to go on
living--he'd want to be with Luke, whatever that meant. Exactly how he
would have accomplished it, he wasn't sure. Those thoughts made Jon uneasy,
but he could forget them now. He got up, kissed Luke on his forehead, and
went to the kitchen to get their dinner ready.



That evening in bed, Jon found himself staring at the ceiling. He felt
somewhat depressed about having to leave Luke all day tomorrow. He turned
his head and looked at Luke--there was enough moonlight that he could see
him well enough to know he wasn't yet asleep.

"What are you thinking about?" whispered Jon.

Luke sighed. "Everything. About how fucked up things are. Jon, do you worry
that our lives will never be the same?"

"They won't be--they'll be better. Going through this with you brought out
emotions I never even knew I could feel. We'll get back to normal, but
we'll be a stronger team for it. A lot of people go through a lot worse."

Luke sighed again. "I know. But I've been such an asshole to you
sometimes. I wouldn't blame you if you said 'Fuck you!' and took off."

Jon squeezed his hand. "You don't believe that."

"No, I guess not. But I feel guilty and I'm mad at myself for hurting you."

Jon pushed up and propped himself on his elbow. He leaned over and kissed
Luke. "Stop thinking like that and let's go to sleep. You may be able to
lounge around all day tomorrow eating bonbons, but I have to go to work."



Jon awoke just before seven, his normal time for a work day. He was glad to
see Luke was still sound asleep. He got up and went into the bathroom, then
started the coffee. He got a glass of water and Luke's pills and placed
them on the nightstand, then went back to the bathroom to shower and
shave. He decided to wear a pair of shorts and a t-shirt because it was
supposed to be another hot day. Most of the production staff dressed that
way during the summer, and Jon knew he was not likely to meet with clients
today. Besides, he kept a change of clothes at work just in case.

About 7:40 there was a knock and Jon let Joe in. "Morning. What some
coffee?"

"Thanks," said Joe. His hair was still wet from the gym shower and he was
dressed in an oversized t-shirt and baggy shorts.. "Luke still asleep?"

"I think so. I hope he wakes up before I have to leave. Did you eat
breakfast?"

"No, I don't like to eat before I work out. I'll be hungry later, maybe I
can make something for Luke and me, or run out and get something."

"Let Luke make breakfast for both of you. He can do it, and he'll ask for
help if he needs it. Just don't pamper him--it pisses him off."

"What pisses me off?" asked Luke as he made his way to the bathroom.

"Nothing, dear."

A few minutes later Luke emerged from the bathroom and looked at
Joe. "That's the way you dress to take care of a sick man? I was expecting
you to be in a Speedo and a muscle shirt."

Joe smiled. "You're a sick man, all right. Jon, am I going to be safe here
alone with him?"

Jon laughed. "Six months ago I might have had my doubts. Now you look like
you could take on Oscar de la Hoya. Come to think of it, you kinda look
like him. I think you'll be okay. I gotta run."

Jon put his hands on Luke's shoulders and kissed him. "Now don't give Joe a
hard time. We want him to come back, you know."



After Jon left, Luke went to the kitchen and got two glasses of orange
juice. He sat on the couch next to Joe.

"Anything you want to do today?" asked Luke.

"I don't know, it's going to be too hot to do much. What about a movie?
Have you seen the new Star Trek?"

"No, but that sounds good. I've been wanting to see it. See what time the
show is."

Joe went to Luke's computer and checked the schedule. "There's a matinee at
the Cinemark at 1:30. Let's catch that one."

Luke went to the kitchen and looked in the refrigerator. He took out the
eggs and decided to make French toast. He took out the bread, then took a
few more slices from another loaf--he was thinking of Joe's appetite.

"Need a hand with anything?" asked Joe.

"Just get a couple of plates from the cabinet behind you. There's
silverware in the drawer right below."

Luke and Joe sat at the table and began to eat. Luke was amused as he
watched Joe dig into his French toast. Not that Joe was uncouth about the
way he ate--he wasn't. It was just that his obvious enjoyment was
entertaining. Put a plate of food in front of Joe and he's a happy camper.

"Luke, don't take this the wrong way, but you don't really need me to do
anything for you, do you?"

"No, it's just Jon. I think this whole thing really freaked him out. I
can't do anything without him watching me."

"That'll get better now that he's back to work. But you're lucky you have
someone who cares about you and wants to take care of you. I don't know
what I'd do if something happened to me."

"You'd be in the same position I'm in. Everyone who knows you would be
there for you. I know I sound like I resent it sometimes, but I don't. It's
just hard to accept the facts. But it's nice to know people care. I never
stopped to think about it before. I mean, all my friends and I partied and
we had good times. But we never went through anything big, as far as
something serious like this. But they were there for me, and Jon, and I
realize how much they mean to me."

"Chris and those guys were fun. I hope they visit again. Jon says you know
everyone in Chicago."

"I know a lot of guys, but those four are my closest friends. They took me
under their wing when I first moved there."

"You're lucky. It's a lot harder for me to make friends."

Joe stood and took the plates to the sink. He and Luke decided to relax on
the patio for a while.



Jon stopped at Burger King to get a breakfast sandwich, then continued to
work. When he arrived, everyone wanted to know how Luke was. Jon called
them all together for an ad hoc meeting and told them what had happened and
how Luke was. Jon noticed Nancy and he was touched because of how
distressed she seemed. What he didn't know was that until now, Nancy didn't
know anything about Luke and Jon's relationship. The realization was a blow
to her.

Jon went to his desk and started catching up. He was surprised at how
organized and orderly everything was. Connie had done a good job in Jon's
absence. Jon felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned.

"It's good to have you back, Jon," said Connie. "I hope I didn't screw
things up too much."

"Everything looks fine so far, I was expecting a lot worse. Oh, uh, I
didn't mean..."

Connie smiled. "I know what you mean. We'll be bringing that project you
were working on into production some time next month. I'm setting up some
meetings with our vendors--we're going to need some new equipment. Check
your calendar. It's going to take a lot of work to mesh it into production,
but I know you're up to it. I was thinking maybe I should bring someone in
to help you, at least in the beginning."

"It's up to you, but sometimes it's more work to train someone. I'll let
you know if I think I need help--I won't kill myself trying to be a hero."

"Just keep me informed, which I know you will." Connie leaned closer to
Jon. "Take a look at your next pay statement. I think you'll be pleased."

Jon's day was extremely busy and the time flew. Before he knew it he was
happy to see it was about time to leave. He took care of a few last-minute
items and almost ran to his car. Jon could hardly wait to see Luke. He
pulled into a parking space and burst into Luke's. Joe and Luke were
playing gin rummy on the patio. Jon went over and kissed Luke.

"Did you guys have a good day?"

Joe said, "Yeah, we had fun. This afternoon we went to the lake and got a
canoe. Luke wouldn't wear his life preserver, though. He said it hurt too
much."

"You what!" exploded Jon. "You were in a canoe? Have both of you lost your
minds? What if it tipped over? He coulda drowned! What the fuck were you
thinking, Joe?"

Luke looked at Joe. "I told you he'd be pissed."

Joe turned to Jon with an innocent look. "It was his reward--for doing such
a good job cleaning the gutters this morning."

Jon looked at Joe, then Luke. He realized he'd been had. He started to
smile and the other two began laughing.

"Oh, stop! Please don't make me laugh. It hurts like hell."

Joe could hardly control his laughter. "Luke, I couldn't believe how you
picked up the ball and ran with it. It couldn'ta been better if we'd
rehearsed it."

Luke was desperately trying not to laugh. Jon said, "Okay, you got
me. Right up to the part about the gutters."

After they settled down, Luke asked, "How was work? Were you going crazy
all day?"

"No, not really. I expected it to be hectic, but it wasn't as bad as I
thought. And I think I got a bonus, or a raise, I'm not sure which yet."

"They give you a bonus for taking a week off?" asked Joe. "Maybe I should
try that."

The three spent the next half-hour talking about the Star Trek movie and
other details of their respective activities that day. Jon and Luke asked
Joe to stay for dinner, but he wanted to get home for a new TV series. Joe
left, telling Luke he'd be back tomorrow.

Jon said, "I guess you were a good boy since Joe said he'd be back."

"Yeah, I did have a good time with him today. It's probably best he didn't
stay for dinner, though. I thought he was going to eat me out of house and
home today."

After they had eaten and watched TV for a while, Luke said, "I missed you
today. All I could think about was getting you into bed tonight."

"Me, too. Don't keep me in suspense."

They went to the bedroom and undressed, then spent the next several minutes
kissing and holding each other.

Luke said, "Let's try it doggie-style. I think that might work better for
both of us right now."

Jon repositioned on the bed on all fours and Luke positioned himself behind
him, placing his hands on Jon's shoulders, then sliding them down his sides
to his hips. Luke admired the pronounced "V" shape of Jon's back. He braced
his hands on Jon and began massaging his back, eventually moving down to
grab Jon's cheeks. They didn't often do it this way, and Jon found it
wonderfully sensual. He moaned his approval and Luke responded by teasing
his anus.

"If you don't fuck me soon, I'm going to scream!"

Luke rose and spit into his hand. He slathered his saliva on his dick and
pressed forward against Jon. Jon pushed back until the head of Luke's dick
penetrated him. They both remained still for a few moments, then Luke
steadily pushed forward until his balls bumped into Jon's. As Luke began to
thrust, Jon rocked back and forth to meet him. Luke found this position a
lot more comfortable for him--he had more control, and less pain. Once he
realized this, he started to take off and was pumping his cock in and out
of Jon like a man possessed. Jon was meeting him thrust for thrust,
becoming more vocal by the minute.

"Yeah, fuck my ass, you stud! Fuck my goddamn brains out!"

Luke picked up the pace even more, and was slamming into Jon with
abandon. After a few minutes Luke slowed his pace and began withdrawing
almost completely and then sliding back home. With each thrust he aimed for
Jon's prostate, and Jon grunted loudly each time Luke hit home. Jon was
stroking himself and his hand was becoming soaked with precum, and that was
quickly bringing him close.

"Pound that big dick of yours up my ass. Fuck my ass, stud!"

Luke picked up the pace again and Jon could feel the tension signaling his
impending orgasm. As he slammed back against Luke he erupted. Luke was
close, and when Jon's ass ring tightened around his shaft, he lunged
forward, burying his cock completely. He stopped moving and Jon could feel
each contraction as Luke unloaded deep into him. It was an incredible rush
for both of them. Luke leaned forward, resting his forearms on Jon's
back. They were both gasping and covered with sweat. It took several
minutes for them to calm down. Luke withdrew and sat on the edge of the
bed.

"God, I love you," said Luke.

"That was one of the most intense fucks I've ever had."

Jon fell onto his side facing Luke. "Looks like I'm going to be changing
the sheets."

Luke looked at the bed and laughed. "Damn, where were you saving all that
up?"

There was what looked like a cup of cum on the sheet. "That was an awesome
orgasm. I thought I was going to cum all night--it felt like I was shooting
gallons."

"I don't think you're far off. Wait until you find out what I deposited in
you."

"I think I have an idea, I could feel each blast. You were incredible. We
should have thought of that position before. But I missed seeing your
expression when you cum in me. I love watching you fuck me."



The rest of the week went quickly for Jon because he was still trying to
get up to speed at work and there was a lot to do. Luke, on the other hand,
felt like each day was an eternity even though Joe spent a lot of time with
him. He appreciated Joe's company, but there was only so much to do each
day. Sunday night Jon and Luke went to bed earlier than usual. Jon had his
left arm behind Luke's neck and rested his hand on his chest.

"Are you sure you're ready to go back to work? You still have sick days."

"I'm bored to tears. I'll go crazy if I have to watch one more daytime talk
show."

"Please take it easy and be careful. Don't let them make you do anything
stupid, and don't try to be a showoff. I know how you are, and you don't
have to prove anything by putting on your macho act."

"I'll be okay, but I'm probably going to have to put up with some shit from
the guys. Don't worry, I can handle them."

# # # # #

Tell me what you think -- justin1326@gmail.com