Date: Thu, 29 Mar 2001 13:38:24 -0600
From: Kevin Mac <farscape20@hotmail.com>
Subject: RA Adventures chapter 12

RA Adventures
(C) KV 2000

If you're offended by sexual activities between men, or if you're younger
than 18, it is my (sad) duty to ask you to leave.  If you're over 18 and
meant to be here, please, kick back, relax and enjoy!  Big thanks to all
the guys who've been writing and keeping in touch.  A special thank you to
Gabe (thanks for the inspiration).  Hope you're still enjoying this...do
let me know.

-----------------------------

Chapter 12

     "I'll meet up with you in a second.  I'm gonna run to the restroom," I
said.

     I went up the stairs and walked into the bathroom.  I looked at myself
in the mirror, resting my hands on the cold marble.  I let out a deep sigh
and turned on the faucet.  I splashed my face with water and let it run
down.  The drops beaded cool and refreshing down my face.  I took another
deep breath and reached for the towel.  I flinched as my hand brushed warm
skin.  I took the towel from the hand and pressed it against my face.  It
smelled fresh and clean.  When I looked up Michael was standing there.

     "Hey," I said.  Before I could say anything else he walked up and
wrapped his arms around me.  I hugged him back.

     "Hey," he said as he let me go, trailing his fingers down my arm.  "I
didn't expect you to be here."

     "Good to see you too, Michael," I said, not bothering to leave the
sarcasm completely out of my voice.

     "No, no... it's not that at all.  I **am* glad to see you.  I'm just
sorry you found out like this.  If I'd known you were going to be here I
would have told you about Gabe sooner."

     "You don't have to apologize," I said.  " Granted, it would have been
nice to see you under slightly different circumstances, but hey, we take
what we get.  Besides, I'm really happy for you."

     He nodded and smiled.  "I feel the same way.  You sure you're cool?"

     "Yeah, just threw me for a little bit of a loop," I smiled back.
"Seriously though, I want to hear all about him and all that."

     "We'll have to sit down later and I'll fill you in.  You'll like him,
Kev.  He's a great guy."

     "I'm sure I will.  I tend to approve of your tastes." I smiled at him
and put my hand on his arm.

     "It's good to see you again, bud," he said, laughing softly.  He
pulled me in and hugged me tight again.  I felt the familiar contours of
his back under my hands.  He let his hands linger on my back and I missed
the feel of him.  He let me go and let himself out.

     I relieved my aching bladder, washed my hands, put on my game face and
went back downstairs.

-----------------------------

     I mingled among the family members, meeting some other cousins and
trying to be social without being obnoxious.  So far so good, it seemed.

     Mary came out and told us that dinner would be served shortly.  We all
took turns washing up and then the women swarmed into the kitchen to help
get everything set up.  I hadn't expected them to 'dirty their hands' but
it was a nice surprise.  Soon we were all sitting around the immense table.

     Mr. Tucker stood at the head of the table and quieted us down.
Everyone began joining hands around the table.  I caught the look of
surprise on Gabe's face and we both smiled.  I was sitting between Dan and
Clint, and their hands felt wide and warm in mine.

     "We have much to be thankful for this year," Mr Tucker began.  "We are
thankful for health.  We are thankful for family.  We are thankful for
friendship." He met each of our eyes as he said each one.  "Let us not take
our blessings for granted, and let us always be mindful of the things that
truly matter.  We give thee thanks, Lord.  Amen."
  A chorus of Amen's followed quietly from the table as we released hands.

     The turkey, gargantuan bird that it was, was carved and served along
with a wide assortment of other dishes.  We ate them like there was no
tomorrow.  I had to pick and chose between sweet potato casserole, turkey
and stuffing, mashed potatoes, green beans and anything else one could
imagine.  When I was sure I couldn't stuff another bite down and looked
around to see similar expressions, we were offered a choice of pumpkin or
pecan pie.  No dessert, evidently, wasn't one of the options.  I groaned
and picked the pecan pie.  What I'd begun to recognize as Mary's handiwork
was plain as day.

     When all the forks had finally been laid to rest, we all excused
ourselves from the table.  True to Clint's prediction, everyone did their
own thing.  The ladies all gathered around to exchange stories while the
men retired to the den.  We sat around the immense screen the Tuckers
called a TV to watch one of the many football games that were on.  We all
tried to get as comfortable as possible.  Several belts were loosened and
the Tums made their way around the room.

     Gabe, as it turned out, knew his football and traded stats and other
information back and forth with Uncle Richard.  I knew Clint could easily
hold his own, but he stayed quiet and laughed at the unlikely pair.  In
between shouting at the refs, the rest of us exchanged talk about
portfolios and the like.

     After the game, the conversation turned fully to portfolios and an
exchange of advice about work-related issues.  I followed the conversation
as politely and quietly as possible.  After several minutes of feeling like
I was listening to a lecture in Chinese, however, Clint caught my eye.  He
faked a yawn and nodded toward the door.  Dan and I caught on and soon we
were excusing ourselves with Michael and Gabe quick on our heels.  We all
sighed and laughed as we shut the door behind us.

     "Movie?" I asked.  Everybody quickly agreed.

     Clint, Michael and Dan left to get the movie while Gabe and I were
appointed to fix drinks.  We both found that quite amusing since neither of
us knew the house very well.  I remembered the general location of the
cabinet Clint had pulled the Bacardi from, so Gabe and I set out to find it
and hoped it was where the rest of the drinks were as well.  There had to
be a hundred cabinets in the kitchen, so it didn't make for quick work.

     "I'm sorry, dude," I said finally.  "I could have sworn it was on this
end of the kitchen.  I sure as hell don't remember standing way over
there."

     He laughed from inside a cabinet.  "It's all good.  Are you sure he
didn't move it?"

     "Honestly, I don't really remember him putting it away at all.  It
could be anywhere, I guess."

     "I have Michael's cell phone number.  You think we should call?"

    "What, and have them harass us for the rest of the night?  Nah." I
smiled and he did too.  "We'll find it soon, they've got to be around here
somewhere."

     We continued shuffling through cabinets.  By the end of it I'd know
the kitchen like the palm of my hand...and I seemed to be getting to know
the palm of my hand all too well these days.  Gabe finally broke the
silence.

     "I'm glad we could meet, Kevin.  Michael told me about you guys, so I
know this is probably awkward for you..."

     I smiled.  "No more than for you, guy."  He laughed.

     "I guess not.  Anyway, it's cool with me, though.  Mike has really
good things to say about you, so it'd be cool if we could maybe be friends
or something."

     "Yeah, I'd like that," I said.

     "Cool."  He smiled and he really was an attractive guy.  If Michael
hadn't snagged him I'd have been **very* attracted.  As it was, I kept a
grip on my hormonal handlebars and opened another cabinet.  Unopened
bottles of all kinds of booze loomed ahead.

     "Bingo," I said.  Gabe walked over and knelt next to me to look at the
stash.

     "Damn..." he said.  I looked over at him and we both laughed.

     "Guess these Tucker boys are serious about their Irish heritage," I
said.

     "Evidently.  I don't think there's much they aren't serious about.
Anyway, let's pick out some stuff and get some drinks mixed before they get
back."

     We got out some glasses and started setting up.  "Uh, Gabe, I don't
know how what exactly Michael told you, but um...Clint doesn't know."

     He smiled.  "I know.  No worries," he said sealing his lips with his
fingers.

     I returned the smile.  "Thanks."

     We fixed several different highballs and managed to get them upstairs
and even had enough time to set up a mini wet-bar all before the guys got
back.  We had just sat down on the couch to sip our drinks when they came
through the door.

     "Good, you found it all," said Clint.

     "Yeah, no thanks to you," I said.  He looked a little sheepish.

     "Sorry dudes, my bad," he said.

     "It's all good," said Gabe.  "We can fend for ourselves."

     Michael walked up and began rubbing his shoulders.  "I'll say," he
said quietly, but not so quietly that we didn't hear.  Dan, Clint and I all
groaned and told them to get a room.  They just laughed.

     Clint walked over and popped the DVD in while the rest of us helped
ourselves to drinks.  I tried to appoint Dan as the drink-fixer for when we
ran out, but my plan quickly backfired and I ended up with the
responsibility.  One day I really should learn to keep my mouth shut.

     I lay down on the side of the bed while Gabe and Michael took the
couch.  Dan and Clint were on the floor, but Clint soon joined me on the
opposite side of the bed.

     "Whassup?" he asked quietly.

     "Not much.  Just trying to get a little buzz going on."

     He smiled and nodded.  "Yeah.  So you feeling any better?"

     "Was I feeling bad earlier?" I said.

     His lips curled into a little smile.  "I dunno.  You just looked a
little green around the gills earlier."

     "Oh, nah, I'm cool," I said.  "Seriously."

     "Kay.  Good.  You want another drink while I'm up?" he asked, pointing
at the empty glass in my hand.

     "Sure.  Just grab me whatever," I said handing him my glass.  He took
it and walked over to the bar, facing away from me.  I watched him walk and
then turned my head back around to face the screen.  As I did, I noticed
Gabe watching me.  I smiled sheepishly and he smiled back.  I closed my
eyes and rested my head on my forearms.

     A little later I felt a cold glass on my arm and I lifted my head to
see Clint handing me a drink.  He smiled down at me.

     "You sure you want another one?" he asked.

     "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little sleepy," I said, taking the drink from
his hands.  He chuckled and sat down next to me.  We finished our drinks
and focused on the movie.  I doubted I'd remember much of the details about
it, but what the hell.

     When it was over Michael and Gabe left and Dan headed to his room.
Clint and I carried the drinks and glasses downstairs.  We left everything
as neat as possible, which included washing the glasses and other
paraphernalia.  When all that was done, we headed back upstairs.  Clint
went to the bathroom to wash up while I lay down on the couch.  He came out
and had lost the shirt somewhere along the way.  I felt a tightening in my
chest and lower places.  He lost the slacks and looked over at me.

     "You can have that side of the bed if you want it.  I think my
masculinity will survive," he said.  I chuckled.

     "If you're sure I won't have to piece together your fragile sexuality
in the morning..."

     "Get in before I change my mind," he said flashing me a sideways grin.
Who was I to argue?  I got in and stared up at the ceiling.  My heart was
beating slightly faster, but I was still composed.  I slid in and got
comfortable.

     "So, how are you handling Michael and Gabe?" I finally asked.

     "As well as can be expected, I think.  It's just a
little...different."

     "Yeah, I know what you mean."

     "But I mean, it's his life, so whatever.  It's not my thing, but I'm
not going to be an ass and hold it against him if it's his."

     And there it was.  Boom.  Just like that -- game over.  No extra
lives, no get out of jail free -- nothing.  "Yeah," I said.  My mind reeled
and I fought the urge to crawl back to the couch.  I turned over and faced
away from him.  I stared out into the black room.

     "G'night, bud," he said.

     "Night," I mumbled.  I felt strangely numb and empty.  I didn't want
to think about it, so I shut my eyes and fell asleep.

-----------------------------

     I woke up to muted sunlight in the room.  I quietly sat up and slid
out of the bed.  I stretched and rolled my neck around.  Clint was still
fast asleep.  I just stood there for a minute, looking at him, watching him
breathe.  Someday it'd be my turn.  Maybe.

     I went to the bathroom and went through my morning routine.  I walked
out and pulled on a pair of jeans and a blue long sleeve t-shirt that hung
nicely on me.  I stole one of Clint's white caps and headed downstairs.

     I walked past the kitchen and there was nobody there.  I was relieved.
The hot water carafe was there, just as it had been the morning before.  I
fixed myself some hot tea, grabbed a role from a basket on the table and
walked outside.

     The day was overcast and didn't help my mood at all.  I walked around
the house sipping my tea and thinking about what I had really expected from
this trip.
  I felt like the rug had been pulled out from under me.  I guess somewhere
deep inside I was waiting to see what was going on with Clint.  In
retrospect, it seemed like so much cloak and dagger, and for what?  It was
a game I hadn't known I was playing, but for some reason it ended.  Maybe
some part of my better judgment decided I'd finally taken leave of my
senses and it was time to return me to reality.  It was better this way,
right?

     As the landscape got a little more wooded I noticed a little stone
bench at the edge of the trees.  I went and sat down, the stone cool on my
back through my shirt.

     I shut my eyes and so many images flashed in front of them.  I thought
about Michael and now Gabe.  I missed Chris and Matt, but I didn't really
want either one of them there right then.  I had to find some emotional
ground to stand on.  Clint was my roommate, and I suddenly wondered how he
saw our friendship.  The fact that he'd wanted me here for the holiday said
something.  He was beginning to open up more, to trust me more.  I felt
somehow guilty for having other feelings.  The friendship was the important
thing.

     I was sick of friendship.

     I opened my eyes and saw Gabe walking toward me.  He smiled when I met
his eyes.

     "Good morning.  Mind some company?" I shook my head and moved the mug
that I had set next to me on the bench.  He sat down and took in the
sights.  "Wow," he finally said.  I chuckled.

     "I know," I said.  "That's what I said when we first got here."

     "It's crazy.  I had no clue that their family was that loaded." I
couldn't help myself and laughed which prompted him to do the same.

     "Where did you guys stay?" I asked.

     "There are a couple of guest rooms on the other end, pardon -- other
**wing* -- of the house."

     "Gotcha.  Get any rest?" I asked, and immediately regretted it.  It
must have shown on my face because Gabe cracked up.

     "Yeah, we were dead by the time we got over there," he said.  "Loosen
up, dude."

     "Sorry, guess I'm a little bummed by the weather this morning." He
looked at the house again and there was silence for a few minutes.

     "You look like your favorite dog died, Kevin.  Somehow I don't think
it has a lot to do with the weather," he finally said.

     I didn't say anything.  I felt a nasty knot in the pit of my stomach.
I cleared my throat and finally said, "I'm an idiot."

     He chuckled.  "No, not an idiot.  A little overly optimistic?  Maybe."
I smiled and nodded.

     "I think I'm tired of chasing rainbows, dude," I said after another
long pause.  He was letting me do the talking without any pressure, and I
really appreciated it.

     "Nice analogy," he said, and I laughed.  "Seriously though, I could
tell you that I think you'll meet somebody when the time is right, but I'll
spare you."

     "Thanks," I said.  "Sorry for being such lousy company."  He stood up
and smiled down at me.  He put his hand on my shoulder.

     "Just keep your chin up and your eye on the ball, Kev," he said.  I
smiled and nodded.  He picked up my mug.  "You want me to take this back
inside?" he asked.

     "Yeah, sure.  Thanks Gabe."

     "Anytime," he said and then walked back to the house.

     I took a few deep breaths and cleared my head.  I got up and started
walking back to the house.  I felt better, more at ease.  So maybe Clint
wasn't it.  I sighed and kept walking.  I got to the door and let myself
in.  I heard happy voices from the kitchen so I decided to go explore.

     Clint, Dan, Gabe and Michael were all sitting around the table eating
and having a good time.  I walked in.  Clint saw me and smiled.  "There's
the early bird.
  Have a seat, dude," he said, pointing to a chair next to him.  I slid
around and sat down.

     "We were just deciding to go to a new club Dan knows tonight," he
said.

     "Cool.  What kind of club?" I asked.

     Dan finished chewing and swallowed.  "It's a nice club downtown.  It's
kind of exclusive but I have a friend that works there.  We had a great
time last time I went."  Clint caught my eye at the 'friend' remark and we
both raised eyebrows at each other and then cracked up.

     "Sounds good to me," I said.  I was feeling better after all.  As long
as I focused on the right-here and right-now I was fine.  We planned to
leave after dinner that night so that we'd have plenty of time to get
there.  Since dinner was late at the Tucker home, I thought we'd probably
hit it just about right.

     "What are we going to do until then?" Gabe asked.

     "Just hang out, maybe throw the football around for a while.
Whatever," said Dan.

     After breakfast we all cleared out of the kitchen and lazed around the
house.  Eventually we got tired of being indoors and decided that the gray
day wasn't enough to keep us inside.

     We headed outside and tossed around the football for the better part
of an hour.  We had an odd number of people and not really enough to do
much else, so we just chatted and joked while passing the pigskin.  It was
a black and white kind of day and reminded me of a scene from an
Abercrombie & Fitch picture.

     At some point we lost track of time and before I knew it, Mary was
waving us all in for lunch.  We sprinted back to the house like a bunch of
hungry teenagers and were all sent promptly to wash up before we touched
anything.  We decided to postpone the showers until after lunch, so we all
just tried to make ourselves as presentable as possible.  Five sweaty
guys...presentable?  Right.

     We sat down at the table and loaded up our plates with leftovers from
the grand dinner the day before as well as a few fresher dishes and
casseroles.  Mary was the epitome of southern cooking and hospitality.  I
almost felt sorry for her grandchildren.  I couldn't imagine shoveling that
quantity of food down on a regular basis.  It was pretty amazing that the
Tuckers were as fit as they were.  It said wonderful things for their
physical discipline.

     We finished the meal and went back up to Clint's room...the designated
hang-out area.  We settled in for a oldie-but-goody movie marathon ranging
from one of the Star War movies to Billy Madison.  I'd made myself
comfortable on the couch and drifted in and out of sleep.  I could really
fall asleep at the drop of a hat.  When I woke up Dan was asleep on Clint's
bed and the other three were nowhere to be found.  I shrugged and turned
back over.

-----------------------------

     I woke up to the sound of the shower running in the bathroom.  I
looked over to the bed and Dan was gone.  I got up, took off my shirt and
walked toward the bathroom.  I knocked.

     "Yeah..." called a voice.  I walked in and Clint was combing his
jet-black hair into place in front of the mirror while Dan showered.  Clint
saw me and smiled at me in the mirror.

     "Hey bud.  Have a good nap?" he said.

     "Yeah.  I was dead to the world."

     He chuckled.  "I noticed," he said and I grinned guiltily.  He leaned
back, finally pleased with his look.  He was wearing a somewhat fitted dark
blue silk shirt.  It hugged the curves of his torso just right -- not too
tight, but tight enough to show off the body underneath.  He was also
wearing some loose black slacks that hung down to black leather shoes.
Silver buckles on the shoes matched the belt buckle and brought just enough
attention to all the right places.  He turned and faced me.  The dark blue
in the shirt brought out the hints of blue in his eyes.  I nodded my head
approvingly.

     "Looking good, my man," I said.

     He smiled at me, flashing his pearly whites.  "Thanks," he said.
"Dan, hurry up.  Kevin's still gotta shower."

     "Sorry Kev," said Dan, his voice echoing from inside the shower.
"I'll be right out."

     "No problem," I said.  I walked over to the sink and pulled my shaving
gear out.  I had almost finished when Dan stepped out of the shower.  He
was slightly flushed all over from the hot water and his hair clung wetly
to his head.  He looked like he'd be a lot of fun to shower with.  He
walked out and grabbed a towel, completely undisturbed by my presence.
Fine with me.  I finished shaving and stowed the razor and shaving gel.

     He hung the towel over his shoulders and said, "Switch." We laughed
and I walked past him.  I undid the buttons on my jeans, stepped out of
them and then slid down the boxer briefs.  I half wanted to turn around
just for the sheer curiosity of seeing if Dan had looked, but I didn't.  I
remembered to grab a towel from the shelf and casually tossed it over the
rack beside the shower.  I stepped in and washed off quickly.

     I was alone in the bathroom when I stepped out.  I toweled off quickly
knotted the towel around my waist.  I walked up to the mirror and gelled my
hair in place.  I then dabbed on some cologne and walked back to the
bedroom.

     My outfit for the evening consisted of silver leather-looking pants
and a black and dark gray shadowed shirt.  Since the pants weren't actually
leather, they were pretty comfortable and didn't look stupid or sissy.  I
buttoned up the black shirt and left the top couple of buttons open.  It
showed off the top of my chest nicely.  A thin silver chain completed the
look.  I walked back into the bathroom after I finished getting dressed for
a last check.  I looked decent enough, I thought.  I'd do me.  I laughed at
myself and went to find the other guys.

     I found Clint in Dan's room.  I stopped when I saw Dan.  He was
wearing black leather pants, the good kind that hang smoothly, and a sheer
black shirt with some complicated Celtic-looking design woven through it.
The shirt shimmered in the right light but was sheer enough that you could
see his sculpted torso underneath.
  I noticed that the pants were tight enough that I knew that there wasn't
anything but Dan under them.  He turned and flashed me a smile as I walked
in.

     "Nice dude," he said.

     "Ditto.  Damn, we are gonna have some major babes to beat off with a
stick tonight," I said.

     "I got your stick," said Dan.  We all laughed and slapped hands before
leaving to find Gabe and Michael.

     We walked into Michael's room and found Gabe putting on his shoes.  He
was also in sleek black slacks, but he wore a gray knit top that cut a v
down his chest.
  It fit snugly around him and showed off his lean physique.  Michael
walked out looking equally spectacular.  He was wearing brown leather pants
and a ribbed white top with a rather open neck on it.

     It looked like revealing was the look for the night, but I knew that
all eyes would be on us the minute we walked in the club.  If we'd just
been going out on the town, I'd say we looked ridiculous.  For the club
scene, we looked pretty damn spiffy.

     We all tromped downstairs, clean and smelling like cologne.  This much
tasty guy around was enough to make my head spin a little, but it was
exhilarating.  We walked into the kitchen and gathered around the table.
Mary whistled at us as we walked by.

     Dinner was light -- a salad and a simple entr‚e.  It was great.  I
didn't feel like being bloated and full before going dancing.  We thanked
Mary and she demanded a kiss on the cheek from each of her 'boys'.  We
laughingly complied and were soon out the door.  We loaded up into a cab so
that none of us would have to be overly sober enough to drive back.

-----------------------------

     Some time later, we all walked down the sidewalk in what appeared to
be more of what my mother would call an 'uppity' part of town.  We walked
up to the club and Dan took the lead.  There was no line to the club, which
struck me as odd.  It had to be one of two things.  Either the club was
going to be very empty, or everyone there had some sort of a pass or
invitation.  I suddenly wondered what kind of people we were going to
encounter.

     There was a large man standing at the door.  He was a tall black man
with shoulders wider than any of ours, and had arms that looked as thick as
my thighs.  He was dressed perfectly and all in black.  A long black
leather coat flowed around him and gave him an air of elegance, but I knew
hired muscle when I saw it.

     Dan walked up to him and said something to him.  The man thought about
it a few moments, looked at the rest of us, and opened the door without
saying a word.  We followed Dan in without any prompting.  I could hear the
loud beat of dance music coming from a larger room beyond us as soon as we
stepped into the foyer.  We all pressed around Dan with curious expressions
on our faces.  He just smiled and walked farther in.

     We followed him into the larger room.  Large was an understatement.
The ceiling looked about thirty feet high and the lighting was expertly
hidden from view.  The lights shone everywhere, but unless you followed the
beam you wouldn't know where they came from.  There was a long bar forming
an island along one side and a huge dance floor close to a stage.  The club
was packed.

     After all the mystery, I half expected the people to look somewhat
alien.  They didn't.  We were in a club with everyone looking under the age
of thirty.  Not only that, but everyone was **quite* attractive.  We all
walked up to the bar and ordered drinks.  No one was carded...as though
being of age was a pre-requisite to get into the place.  I hid the surprise
from my face behind a mask of confidence and my practiced I-know-exactly-
what-I'm-doing look.

     Michael and Gabe settled down at the bar and Dan spotted someone he
knew and took off, with drink in hand, to say hello.  The 'friend' that he
had mentioned was a gorgeous woman.  She was probably not taller than five
feet, but what she lacked in height, she made up for in grace and class.
She was dressed in a deep burgundy dress that molded to her body to show
off delicate curves.  Her skin was a slight mocha that told of something
more exotic in her background.  She had her hair done up in curls piled on
top of her head.  She looked our age, but the way she carried herself made
me tack on five years.  Dan kissed her on the cheek and motioned to us
while he was talking to her.  She smiled as he took her hand, and soon they
were walking in our direction.

     I turned around to pay the bartender and noticed that I was suddenly
standing alone.  Gabe and Michael had gone to sit at the far end of the bar
and Clint was nowhere to be seen.  I scanned the crowd looking for him, but
came up with zilch.  I had just finished when Dan and his friend walked up.

     "Hey," he said, almost shouting over the loud music.  I was mostly
reading lips.  "Where is everybody?"

     I pointed to Gabe and Michael.  "I don't know where your brother got
off to," I said.

     He shrugged and took his friend's hand again.  "Kev, this is
Alexandra.
  Ale, this is Kevin." He said her name Aleshandra, which only reinforced
my guess.

     "Muito prazer," she said.  I took her hand lightly.

     "The pleasure is mine."  She smiled and her eyes sparkled.  She really
was charming.  "Portuguese?" I asked.  Her eyes widened slightly and her
smile broadened.

     "I'm impressed.  Most people think Spanish," she said, leaning in and
talking in my ear so that I could hear her above the noise.  "Enjoy the
club, and please, if you need anything, just ask."

     I nodded and thanked her.  She turned to go back to the doorway she
had come out of and Dan caught my eye before following back.  I mouthed a
'very nice' to him and he smiled happily.  They went off to some other part
of the club, which left me standing at the bar on my own.  I felt a little
awkward, which made me decide that I hadn't had enough of my drink yet.  I
took a gulp of it and walked over to Michael and Gabe.  Michael smiled as I
approached and patted the stool on the other side of him.

     "What's up, guys?" I asked.

     "Nothing much," said Gabe.

     "Did we lose the brothers?" asked Michael.

     I nodded.  "Yeah.  Dan's with his sweet lady and Clint pulled a
Houdini.  I haven't seen him since we walked in."  Gabe chuckled.  "Anyway,
I was just thinking that it's a good thing we took a cab."

     Gabe smiled slyly at me and nodded.  "Yup, a very good idea."

     "You guys aren't thinking what I **think* you're thinking, are you?"
asked Michael.  We both cracked up while Michael ordered a round of shots
'to get the evening started off right'.

     Several rounds and a good deal of time later we were all considerably
more 'relaxed'.  We were laughing easily.  Gabe decided that it was high
time we joined the pulsing throng on the dance floor.  I agreed, so we all
lumbered over to it and started dancing to the intense beat.  There were
dancers onstage in skin-tight costumes doing all sorts of dances.  They
were very well choreographed.

      I glanced over at Gabe and Michael who were subtly dancing together.
I was impressed by how they managed to do it without being obvious.  On the
downside, I was dancing on my own.  I scanned the crowd and locked eyes
with a pretty blonde on the other end of the floor.

     She smiled coyly and I smiled back.  She took that as a good sign and
began making her way over to me.  Great, what was I getting myself into?
She finally got close enough and we started dancing together.  What the
hell, I thought; at least she was a good dancer.  After several songs, we
had developed our own groove and were dancing with each other like we'd
known one another for years.  We kept dancing, making eye contact and
pressing against each other's bodies.

     When the next song ended she grabbed my hand and led me to the far
side of the bar where it was only slightly quieter.  I ordered another
drink and one for her as well.  She smiled.

     "I'm Candy," she said.  It fit.  She was a petite, natural blonde with
fantastic brown eyes.  Her skin was just tan enough so that she had color,
but didn't make you think she'd have skin cancer in a couple of years.

     "Kevin," I said, taking her hand.  She crossed her legs, which exposed
her two-inch heels and dainty ankles.  I smiled at her and she
reciprocated.  "It's nice to meet you," I said.

     "You too.  Is this your first time here?" she asked.

     "Yeah.  Is it that obvious?"

     She giggled, which was my first tip that she'd had at least as much to
drink as I.  "No.  I just haven't seen you guys here before."

     "We're from out of town here for a visit," I said.

     "I guess that's why, then." I smiled and nodded, scanning the crowd as
nonchalantly as possible.  I felt a hand on my knee and looked up to see a
sultry look on her face.  "Have you had a good visit so far?" Candy asked.

     "Um, it's been decent.  I love the city, though."

     She smiled and slid her hand a few inches up to rest on my thigh.
"There are a lot of sights to see, you know," she said.  I smiled.

     "So I'm told," I said.  She winked at me and excused herself to go to
the ladies' room.  She walked off and I sighed.  I took another sip of my
drink and scanned the crowd again.  My gaze stopped on a table across the
room.  I concentrated to make sure I was seeing what I was seeing.

     Clint was sitting there with a cute brunette on his lap.  She could
have been Candy's dark-haired twin.  She was obviously a little more drunk
than he and was running her hands all up and down his torso.  He threw his
head back and laughed.  He ran his fingers through her hair and pulled her
into him.  She tilted her head up and he locked lips with her.  He let his
hands wander down her sides, trailing gently enough to be polite, but
obvious enough to be arousing.  She had moved her hands under his shirt,
touching bare skin.

     Heat crept up my skin and I turned quick enough to almost spill my
drink.  I took deep breaths and finished off my drink.  I couldn't think.
The alcohol had destroyed my higher brain functions, so I was left with a
queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach and a dull throb in my head.

     I felt hands on my shoulders rubbing gently.

     "Hey sexy," came a silky feminine voice.  I knew it was Candy without
turning around.  I put my glass on the counter and turned around.  I
plastered on my best fake smile and greeted her back.

     "Hey.  Feel better?" I asked.

     "Yes," she said, blushing.  "You look a little flushed."

     She put her hands up to my cheeks and they felt cool against my skin.
"Must have had a few more drinks than I should have."

     She giggled again.  "Me too."  I was instantly bored and was extremely
relieved to see Dan walking toward us.  Candy was saying something, though
what it was I'll never know.  It was so much noise buzzing around my head.

     Dan walked up and took her hand.  "Dan, this is Candy.  Candy, my
friend Dan," I said.

     "Nice to meet you, Candy.  I'm gonna have to steal Kevin away from
you, though."

     She pouted slightly but then smiled when Dan flashed her one of his
charming smiles.  As soon as we were out of earshot, Dan leaned over.

     "You about ready to get out of here?"

     "Yeah.  I'll go round up Michael and Gabe.  You go pry your brother
away from miss sticky over there," I said, pointing at the table.  Dan's
eyes widened a little and he gave me a brief nod before walking toward
Clint.

      I directed my attention, what little there was left, to finding
Michael and Gabe.  They were sitting back at the bar where they'd been at
the beginning of the night.  How I'd missed them walking by I wasn't
exactly sure.  I walked up and told them we were leaving.  They nodded and
soon we were out in the cold waiting for a cab.  The last thing I remember
was Dan giving directions and the cab speeding off.

-----------------------------

     I woke up when the cab stopped moving.  I struggled to clear my head
and finally came back to reality.  Clint was in the front seat, asleep and
Dan next to me was lying back with his eyes closed.  We'd had to take two
cabs home since there were five of us.  Michael and Gabe had decided to go
exploring the city a little more before heading home.  I paid the driver
and nudged Dan.  He opened his eyes and had that same blank expression that
I felt sure I'd had when I woke up.

     I smiled at him.  "We're home," I said.  He nodded and opened the
door.
  We both got out and opened the door next to Clint.  He opened his eyes
and got out on his own, looking more alert than any of us.  We all walked
up to the house and let ourselves in as quietly as possible.  Once inside
we climbed up to Clint's room.

     We were all sleepy, but none of us felt like sleeping; so Dan went
downstairs to get us snacks and drinks...though not of the alcoholic
variety.  It left Clint and me together in the room.

     "Clint the mac-daddy," I said.  He looked at me from the couch.

     "Huh?"

     "You must have been doing something right," I said.  "That cute
brunette was all over you, dude." I felt the heat creep up my skin again,
but this time it felt a lot more angry.

     "Oh that.  Yeah, it was pretty smooth," he said.  "She was tight."  I
laughed.  Tight wasn't an expression I would have used to describe her.

     "I bet she was."

     "You weren't doing too bad yourself," he said.

     "Yeah, well, we had to leave before we got anywhere."  I sat in a
chair facing the TV and away from Clint.  I flipped it on and started
surfing channels.

     Clint finally broke the silence.  "Is it the alcohol, or are you
pissed at me?" he asked.

     "Why would I be pissed at you?" I said.

     "I dunno.  You just seemed a little hot."

     Dan walked in the door with a tray of drinks and chips.  "Ok, finally.
Sorry it took so long," he said, then picked up on the tension.  "Um, is
there a particular reason you guys are so quiet?"

     I shook my head.  "Nope.  Clint was just about to tell about the babe
sitting on his lap," I said.  Clint locked eyes on mine and I looked up at
Dan.  We all sat on the floor around the tray.

     "Dude, you did get lucky.  I'm horny as hell and I got jack shit,"
said Dan.

     "What about your Portuguese chick?" asked Clint.

     "She just wanted to 'talk' tonight.  No hanky panky."

     "Sucks for you, bro," I said.

     "What about you?  That blonde was pretty hot.  She give it up?" said
Dan.

     "Nah, didn't even get smack out of it.  We had to leave."

     "Yeah, me neither.  Ale got pissed when I tried and that was that,"
said Dan.

     "Aww, poor baby.  You want me to kiss you and make it better?" said
Clint mockingly.  We all laughed and snacked a little.

     "Have you ever thought about that?" Dan finally asked.

     "What, kissing you??" asked Clint.

     "No, not you, idiot.  Have you ever wondered what it'd be like to kiss
a guy?" Clint and I looked at each other and cracked up.

     "You have something you wanna share, Danny boy?" I asked.

     "You guys are assholes.  I'm not talking about fucking a guy.  I'm
just asking, have you ever **thought* or wondered what it'd be like to kiss
a guy?  Just the physical sensation."

     "Dude, you're on crack," said Clint.

     "C'mon.  Kev," he turned and faced me full on.  "We both know Clint's
an ass.  Have you never even thought about it?"

     "Fine.  I've **thought* about it," I said.

     "See Clint, even your roommate's thought about it and his sexuality
isn't any the worse for it."

     "You're full of shit, Dan," said Clint.

     "Are we talking like a peck or..." I said.

     "What's the point of a peck?" said Clint.  "It's like taking a sip of
Vodka.  If you're gonna try it, try it right." Dan and I just stared at
each other, wide eyed.

     "Hello?  Is this Clint?" Dan asked.

     "You guys should try it," Clint said.

     All we could come up with was a 'huh?'

     "If you're gonna do it, you might as well do it here.  I mean, it's
just the three of us.  You guys know each other but you wouldn't ever have
to see each other again.
  Plus, we're all shit-faced, so you an always have that."

     "Dude, what the hell are you talking about," I asked.

     "Look, either try it or don't.  Just don't be chicken shit about it,"
said Clint.

     "What's with you?" asked Dan.  "What, you wanna watch?"

     "No.  Nothing, forget it," said Clint.  "I'm gonna go piss."  He got
up and shut the door in the bathroom behind him.  I looked over at Dan and
we both rolled our eyes.

     "He can be an ass when he gets drunk," he said.  I nodded and took
another swig of my Coke.  Dan locked his eyes on mine and I could see the
wheels turning.  I raised my eyebrows in a what-the-hell-are-you-thinking
kinda look.  He looked down at the tray.

     He really was gorgeous.  We hadn't bothered to change, so the sheer
shirt was still hanging loosely around his torso.  I let my gaze take him
in, from his crunched abs capped with defined pecs.  He was a hunk that had
something to grab onto.  I loved bigger muscles.

     When I got to his face he was looking at me and smiling.  It was a
different kind of smile, though.  One that's meant for private places.  My
chest caught and I let out a breath I hadn't known I was holding.

     "What the hell," I said.  I got on all fours and crawled over to him,
never taking my eyes off his.

     I got over to him and stood up on my knees.  He did the same and it
put us only a few inches apart.  I leaned in and closed my eyes.  I felt my
lips find his and I froze.  I could feel him breathing and taste the
alcohol on his breath.  He put his hand on the back of my head and kissed
me back, his lips mashing against mine.  I put a hand on his neck and felt
his tongue probe my lips.  I opened my mouth and pressed my tongue into
his.
  His mouth felt warm, moist and inviting.  I kissed him deep.  He ran his
hands up my torso and kneaded my pecs.  I breathed in sharply.  I hadn't
expected him to touch me.  I took it as a positive and slid my hands under
his shirt to meet bare skin.  His skin was soft and hot to the touch.  I
could feel his heart beating fast under my hand.  He kissed me like he'd
eat me from the inside when our skin made contact.  He wrapped his arms
around me tight and pulled me against his body.  I could feel him through
the leather of his pants, hard and ready.  He slowed the kissing and ran
his tongue over my lips.  He broke the kiss and kissed me lightly several
times.  He finally let his arms fall to his side and we both sank down onto
the floor.

     "Wow," he said.  I met his eyes again.  "Your lips are the softest I
have ever kissed, dude."

     I swallowed and found my voice.  "It was incredible."  He nodded and
we just sat there for a few minutes.

     "You're the only guy that has ever and will ever do that," he said.
"Thanks."

     I laughed softly.  "Dude, thanks yourself."

     His eyes got serious and he was quiet for a few minutes.  "Clint's an
idiot," he finally said.

     "Why do you say that?" I asked.  I was genuinely confused.  Like I
said, I had left higher brain functions in the bottom of some glass.

     "He can't see it in you, and he doesn't know what he's missing."  My
jaw dropped and my eyes went wide.  I felt my pulse speed up and pound
against my neck.

     "Relax.  It's between me and you," he said.  I just sat there, a
million thought swimming through my head.

     "Are you...?" I finally asked.

     "Gay?" he asked.  I nodded and he chuckled.  "No.  I really did just
wonder what it would feel like.  It was awesome, but I think I'll stick
with women."

     I smiled and nodded, letting it all sink in.

     "I'm going to bed, dude.  Get some sleep."

     I stripped out of my clothes and climbed into the bed, wondering where
Clint had been all that time.  I shrugged and drifted off to sleep.  My
last thought was that I was going to have a hell of a headache in the
morning.

-----------------------------

Phew.  Well, I caught some mistakes in the last chapter, but everyone was
gracious enough not to point them out.  Nevertheless, I've tried to do a
little better with the editing on this chapter.  Hope you enjoyed...
farscape20@hotmail.com