Chapter 11
eleven
T roy followed Jessie out of the woods and onto the golf course, the red cooler in one hand and the picnic basket in the other. A full moon shone in a clear, night sky. They’d finally dropped off the girls at home and had an hour to kill before it would be safe to use the van. “Dude, I thought we’d never get rid of Donna and her friend.”
Jessie sat on the green cross-legged. “You didn’t seem to mind having Jackie around.” He set the boom box on the short grass, hit the button on the cassette player and The Wall by Kansas filled the air. He sighed, slipping the bag of joints out of his front pocket.
Troy sat next to him and put his hand over Jessie’s with the baggie. “What do you mean by that?”
Jessie narrowed his eyes, a smirk spreading over his lips. “Dude, don’t think I didn’t see how you were looking at her the whole night, looking at her tits. You wanted her.” He yanked his hand from Troy’s, opened the baggie and slid a joint out, then set it to his lips and lit it, taking a deep drag.
“Damn it, Jessie.” Troy pulled the joint from his mouth. “That’s not true.”
Jessie sneered. “Look, if you want to go out with her, just do it. I mean, at least that’s normal .” He scoffed at him and seized the joint from his fingers. “Let me get high.” He took a hit off the joint.
Anger flared in Troy’s chest. He glared at him. “Listen, I don’t want to go out with her. I’m with you now.” He’d had no idea Jessie was thinking this way. He’d hidden it well all night.
Jessie released a puff of smoke. “You’re not with me. We can’t be together. Not with our families around all the fucking time.” He growled.
“What are you saying? I thought we settled this at the drive-in. Are you changing your mind?” An ache tore at his heart. Maybe Jessie didn’t like him as much as he’d thought. Maybe the whole van idea was off.
“You don’t get it, do you? You can be normal and go out with chicks and enjoy it. You don’t have to worry about your family finding out you’re gay and disowning you. You don’t have to do this with me, Troy.” Jessie’s eyes glistened in the moonlight. He sniffled, wrinkling his brows.
The ache in Troy’s chest grew. “B-but I want to do this with you.” He surveyed the woods, then the fairway on the golf course. What could he say to get through to him? How could he explain it? I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before. “I like you, really fucking like you. How am I supposed to start dating someone else?”
Jessie freed a choked laugh. “Are you sure about this?” His gaze darted over Troy’s face, then he wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. “I don’t know, man.” He hung his head.
“I’m sure.” Troy took his hand. “I’m the person you said you had a crush on, right?” He lifted Jessie’s chin. “Look at me. I’m that person, right?”
Jessie gazed deeply into his eyes, then thinned his lips and released a long exhale. “Yeah.”
Warmth flooded Troy’s chest. Jessie does feel the same. He does. “So how can I not do this with you?” He leaned in and pressed his lips to Jessie’s, staying for a long moment, then straightened.
“As long as we’re... doing this, neither of us can look at, kiss, touch in any way, or date anyone else.” Jessie knit his brows. “No more truth or dare games.” He spread a faint smile over his mouth, then moved a bang from Troy’s forehead. “I figured I’d lost you the moment Jackie sat next to you on the porch. So that’s why I dared her to kiss you. I thought I’d get it over with.”
“No, man.” Troy offered him a quick grin. “She’s a fox, but she’s got nothing on you.” His heart swelled with emotion. This thing was spinning out of control, but he didn’t care. “I agree. No more truth or dare.” He lifted a brow. “I guess we’re still sneaking into the van tonight?”
Jessie gnawed on his lip. “Yeah. Damn, I’d almost forgotten about that.” He glanced at his mouth.
“Nate’s not going to be a problem, is he?” Troy placed a quick, playful kiss on his lips.
“No. He’s good.” Jessie drew a deep breath, focusing on him. “Let’s have some snacks. I got the munchies.”
Troy closed the door on Jessie’s Trans Am as quietly as he could, then peeked at both cabins. No lights on inside either one, only the front door lights. It was worth the extra half hour wait to be sure everyone was in bed. He glanced at Jessie.
Jessie tiptoed to the side door of the van, a smirk growing on his face.
Troy joined him at the van and pulled the door handle. A soft click sounded. He glanced at the log-sided cabins. Still no lights. He slowly slid the door open, then crawled inside.
Jessie stepped inside the van, his eyes wide, shining in the light from the lone streetlamp hovering at the edge of the woods.
Troy shut the van door. A thunk rang out as the mechanism caught. He flinched. “Shit.” He glanced at Jessie. “Think anyone heard that?”
Jessie shrugged. “I hope not.”
Troy crawled to the area between the front seats and looked out the windshield at the cabins. “I still don’t see any lights on.”
“Good.” Jessie crept to the couch and removed the round table from the floor, then lifted and pulled the couch frame out.
“We should probably wait a little bit, just in case.” Troy focused on the cabins. What would happen if they got caught? They should have a ready excuse. But how do you explain getting naked with your best friend? There was no explaining it. Hot pressure pressed on Troy’s neck and warm arms surrounded his waist from behind.
“Get back here with me.” Jessie flicked his ear with his tongue.
Desire seared into Troy’s groin. His cock filled with heat. “Yeah, okay.” What was I thinking about? Doesn’t matter. He and Jessie were alone in the van again. He turned, placing his hand on Jessie’s chest, feeling bare skin. He looked him up and down. “You’re naked.” He grinned.
“Not the first time today.” Jessie snickered. “Come on.” He made his way to the bed and lay across it on his back, his hard cock jutting to almost reach his navel. He placed lazy strokes over the shaft and rolled his hips, releasing a soft moan.
Troy watched him and undressed, leaving only his puka shell necklace hanging around his neck, lust rushing over him. He licked his lips. “Damn, dude. You’re killing me.”
“Hurry up.” Jessie’s voice was ragged.
Troy climbed onto the bed, lying next to him. “What are we doing tonight?” As he brushed his lips against Jessie’s, he wrapped his hand around Jessie’s solid cock and stroked.
Jessie freed a sharp gasp, thrusting his hips, then placed his hand on Troy’s shaft and pumped.
Need shivered up Troy’s spine. “Fuck.” He drove his tongue deep inside Jessie’s mouth, swiping it over Jessie’s tongue again and again.
Jessie rolled to his side, facing him. As he pressed his mouth harder to Troy’s, he wound his fingers around both their cocks, then rocked his hips, rubbing one against the other.
Troy broke the kiss and peeked down. Pleasure jolted his cock, dripping pre-cum out of the tip. They were doing what he’d seen in the picture. He was doing it.
Jessie whispered, “You like that?”
“You know I do.” Troy wrinkled his brows and thrust his hips in time with Jessie, then placed deep kisses over his mouth. This was way better in person. Sweet friction and sensation knotted in his gut.
As Jessie rubbed against him, he swiped the head of their cocks with his thumb, slicking them with pre-cum, then stroked faster, releasing a soft moan.
Tension coiled inside Troy’s sac, his cock growing sensitive. “Go faster.” His breath quickened.
Jessie pumped their cocks, thrusting against him. He parted his lips and creased his brows. “Fuck, Troy, I don’t want to stop.”
“Then don’t.” Troy gasped as shuddering pleasure shot through him.
“I don’t want to come yet.” Jessie slowed his pace, breathing heavily, then gazed deeply into his eyes. “I want this to last. I want this summer to last.” He crushed his lips in penetrating kisses, tangling his tongue with Troy’s.
Troy’s heart warmed and he slowed the rocking of his hips, letting the tension unwind. Jessie wouldn’t leave. How could he after this? He stole a peek at their hard cocks rubbing together inside Jessie’s fingers. A shock of pleasure twitched his shaft. Sensation tingled in his sac. “Oh, shit, I’m coming.” He shouldn’t have looked.
Jessie pumped his hand and thrust hard against him.
Troy’s body trembled as intense bursts of sensation quaked from his cock through his body. He curled his toes. Cum spurted onto his chest and dribbled over Jessie’s pumping hand. He released choked moans with each one, then it slowed.
Jessie pumped fast and thrust hard against him, gasping, nuzzling his face into his neck. His body shuddered and hot cum surged out of his cock, spilling over his fingers, and shooting onto their stomachs. As he calmed, he rolled to his back, freeing their spent cocks. “Shit, I think we made a mess in here.” He touched a droplet of come, then sucked on his fingers.
Troy looked down. Most of it appeared to have landed on their bodies. “Not too bad.” He shifted to lie on his back and gazed at the shag carpeting lining the ceiling of the van. Damn, he liked doing that. If he liked what they’d done so far, what else would he like? It was sort of fun trying all these new things with Jessie.
Jessie climbed over him and crept to the tissue box between the front seats. He tugged a few out, then came back to him. “Here.” He handed him a tissue, then wiped himself off.
Troy cleaned all the droplets he could find, sat up and checked the bed. Looked okay in the dark, anyways. They should have brought a flashlight.
“How is it?” Jessie gazed at him with wide eyes in the dark.
“Fine. If there are any spots, I’m sure my mom will blame Mark. He always eats back here.” Troy chuckled and tossed the used tissue to the floor, next to his clothes. “Come back up here.”
“Let me get dressed first.” Jessie grabbed his shirt.
Troy snatched his arm. “No, don’t get dressed yet.” He smirked at him.
Jessie lifted his brows, then smiled. “Good idea.” He climbed onto the bed and lay on his back.
Troy rested with his head on Jessie’s chest, sideways. He draped a leg over Jessie’s. “Never thought I’d be here with you like this.”
Jessie wrapped his arm around Troy’s shoulders and kissed his head. “We’ve never even skinny dipped.”
Troy tipped his head to peek at his face. “Yeah, why is that? I never thought about it until today on the beach.”
“How was I supposed to skinny dip with you and not get a boner? Think about it.” Jessie pursed his lips.
“You never know, I might have gotten a boner, too. Then where would we have been? Both checking out each other’s boners.” Troy freed a quick laugh.
Jessie slapped his arm. “Don’t be such a goon. We both would have freaked out, but for different reasons.” He grinned, gazing upward. “Before you caught me with Gary at the marina, did you ever think about me this way?”
“I don’t know. I’ve asked myself that question a lot. I think there was always something there, but maybe I confused it with having this long-distance friendship with you. I think I figured that because we didn’t get to see each other all that often, when we did, it felt special.” Troy drew a deep breath, listening the soft thumping of Jessie’s heart.
“I was afraid to let myself feel anything for you but friendship. I always knew something more was there.” Jessie tightened the hold on his shoulders.
He’s talking about his feelings for once. Troy gulped hard. Could he ask him where this was going at the end of the summer? What was he going to do? He kissed his chest and sighed. He didn’t have the nerve. Maybe another time.
“Troy, I have a question for you.” Jessie wrinkled his brows.
“Okay, go for it.” Troy snuggled closer to his side.
“What are you comfortable with, sexually?” Jessie peeked down at him.
Troy widened his eyes. He hadn’t been expecting that. Guess we’re not talking about feelings anymore. “Oh, I don’t know. I suppose I’m up for pretty much anything. I mean, it is you .”
Jessie chewed his lower lip. “So, would you be okay with, uh...” He licked his lips.
I know where this is going. “Anal sex?” Troy lifted his head and propped up on an elbow.
Jessie twitched a side of his mouth. “Yeah.”
“Sure.” Troy dropped to his shoulder. How bad could it be? It can’t be that different from having sex with a chick. “The last time we talked about it, it sounded like you really like it.”
Jessie nodded. “So, you’d be okay with it? I could show you how.”
Troy freed a sharp chuckle. “What’s there to show?” It wasn’t like he was a virgin. He peeked at Jessie.
“It’s different. There are some things you have to consider.” Jessie’s face flushed.
“Like what?” Troy furrowed his brows. What the hell was he talking about? Oh...” Lubrication?”
Jessie released a quick snicker. “That, and stretching.”
“Stretching?” Troy lifted onto an elbow. “Stretching of what?” He focused on Jessie’s face in the ambient light coming through the van windows.
Jessie thinned his lips. “Have you ever had anal with a chick?”
“No.” Troy thought back. “I’ve always used a rubber unless the chick was on the pill or something.” Now he was starting to sound like a virgin compared to Jessie. But he wasn’t really.
“So, maybe I could show you.” Jessie raked his teeth over his lower lip and rolled sideways to press his hardening cock against Troy’s thigh.
Heat flickered through Troy’s groin. “Now?” Holy shit, what was he thinking about doing to him?
Jessie brushed his lips against Troy’s, then snuck his tongue between them, skimming it over Troy’s. “I can’t. We don’t have any lube. Next time.” He brushed a lock of dirty-blond hair from Troy’s forehead. “I’ll show you how good it feels.”
“As long as it feels good.” Troy placed a long kiss over his mouth.
“Oh, it does.” Jessie’s gaze flicked to the van window, and he lifted his head. “Shit, I think Nate is up.”
Troy sat up and looked out the window. The faint silhouette of a head showed in the window of the kitchen in Jessie’s cabin. “Someone is up.” He crept to the floor and grabbed his clothes. “We better get dressed. If someone finds us clothed, we can say we were getting high.” He put his clothes on.
Jessie crawled to his clothing and put his clothes on. “That wouldn’t be great, but at least they’d believe it.”
“Yeah.” As Troy finished dressing, he made his way to the sliding door.
Jessie snuck up behind him. “We should do our goodnight kiss here.” He gave him a sly grin.
Troy gazed at him. “You’re right.” As he placed his hand on his cheek, he pressed his lips to Jessie’s, sliding his tongue inside, stroking against Jessie’s.
Jessie broke the kiss, his eyes hooding. “Damn, I love how you kiss.”
Jessie said the word love . Troy held his gaze. His heart skittered and warmth filled his chest. Am I falling in love with him? Maybe he was. If Jessie left for New York, he’d be devastated. He knew that. It must be love then, right?
Jessie tapped Troy’s head. “Knock, knock. What’s going on in there?”
“Uh... nothing.” Troy focused on the door handle. He had to think of something to say. “I was just thinking we should get in the cabins.”
Jessie released a long exhale. “Yeah, okay.” He cocked his head. “Well, open the door.”
Troy slid the door open.
A few days later, Troy sat on an iron patio chair on the porch of his cabin, gazing at the condominium roofline and the lake beyond. The air was fresh and humid after a series of morning thunderstorms had rolled through, and thick clouds remained beyond the green tree canopy above his head. He stole a peek at Jessie sitting next to him, sipping his beer, looking out over the view. His mind replayed the last few days, time on the beach, swimming, and evenings in the van, exploring his best friend’s body. He’d felt things he never thought possible, both physically and emotionally. He focused on his lips. How he loved kissing them and making sounds come out that only he heard. No more Gary, no more boyfriend in New York, it was only him and Jessie now.
Jessie glanced at him. “What are you looking at?”
“You.” Troy offered him a wide grin. “You don’t want to know what I’m thinking. So don’t even ask.”
“Uh-huh.” Jessie leaned against the patio table and lowered his voice. “I’m sure whatever it is, it’s dirty.” He snickered.
“Yeah.” Troy chuckled. His mind was definitely preoccupied these days. He thought back to their first secret night in the van. “Hey, who was in the window in the cabin the other night? You never told me.”
Jessie sipped his beer. “Oh, it was Nate. He woke up and saw I wasn’t in bed, so he was looking to see if my car was here.”
“So, I guess he’s still worried about you?” Troy lifted his brows, then drank some beer. Maybe the talk Jessie had had with Nate wasn’t enough.
“I suppose. I don’t know what else to tell him.” Jessie pursed his lips. “I haven’t fought with my dad lately, but that’s because we stopped talking.” He breathed in. “Well, and I’m never home.”
“Maybe Nate didn’t believe you when you said you were going to finish school in New York.” Troy gauged his reaction. Maybe he could find out if he was any closer to deciding what he wanted to do.
“Maybe...” Jessie released a long sigh.
“So, what are your thoughts on that?” Troy watched him.
“What are his thoughts on what?” Donna stepped onto the patio tugging her cut-off jean shorts over her ass cheeks, her hand wrapped around a young man’s, a white tube top pulled tight over her chest.
“Never mind.” That was the end of that discussion. Troy straightened in his chair, taking in the young man, his shaggy blond hair cut around his face and swept to the side, his large, brown eyes, the wide shoulders tightening a brown t-shirt and narrow hips hugged by white jean shorts. “Who have you brought us today?” And why wasn’t Jackie with her? Though this dude wasn’t bad to look at. The things he thought about these days...This newfound sexuality of his was getting out of control.
“This is Jake. He took me out on a date last night.” She beamed at him, then snuck a peek at Jessie.
“Hi.” Jake waved at them.
“Hi, Jake, I’m Jessie.” He waved.
“I’m Troy, Donna’s brother.” He smiled at Jake.
“Can we sit with you guys?” She led him to the table and gestured to a chair next to Troy. “Have a seat, and I’ll get us beers.”
“Sure.” Jake sat down and scanned around him. “Glad the rain stopped.” He smiled at Troy, then Jessie.
Jessie came forward in his seat, resting his elbows on the table, his fingers on his lips. “Yeah, So, how old are you, Jake?”
“Twenty-one.” Jake focused on Jessie. “Donna says you’re both the same age as me.” Then he turned to Troy. “Donna’s a nice girl.”
Troy snickered. “Oh, you don’t have to say that. I know how annoying she can be.” He fingered his beer, then gazed at Jake. The more he looked at him, the more he liked what he saw. He glanced at Jessie.
Jessie dropped his hand to the table edge and freed a soft breath. “So, where did you meet Donna?”
“At the beach. She was with her friend, Jackie.” Jake chuckled. “She said you were all playing truth or dare the other night.”
“Oh, brother.” Jessie sank into his chair. “Yeah, that was something.” He smiled at Troy.
“So, which one of you had to get naked?” Jake smirked, looking them both up and down.
“Me.” Jessie pointed at his chest.
“How could you do that, man? That takes some balls.” Jake chuckled and shook his head.
Jessie released a quick laugh. “It was a dare. I had to.”
Donna stepped onto the porch with a beer in each hand. She set one down in front of Jake, then took a seat between Jake and Jessie. “So, talking about our truth or dare game on the beach?”
Troy huffed. “What, do you stand there behind the wall and listen to us before you come up here?” Obviously, she did.
She dropped her mouth open, lowering her brows. “No.”
“Sure seems like it.” Troy shifted in his chair. “Anyway, we’re not playing any more truth or dare games.” He focused on Jessie. “Right, Jess?”
“Right.” Jessie smirked at Donna. “Guess you have a new guy you can kiss now anyways.”
She shushed Jessie. “Jake doesn’t need to know about that.”
Jake lifted his brows at Donna. “You and Jessie kissed, huh?” He pursed his lips, then drank a few gulps of beer.
“Don’t worry, man. I’m not interested. She’s all yours.” Jessie smiled at Troy.
Troy’s heart warmed. And he’s all mine.
“Jessie kissed Troy, too. A French kiss.” She chuckled.
Jessie widened his eyes. “It was a dare.” He glanced at Jake.
“You people get serious when you play truth or dare.” With a smile, Jake shook his head once and sipped his beer.
“Yeah, guess so.” Troy glared at Donna. He needed to change the subject. Jake didn’t need to get the wrong impression, or maybe the right impression, of him and Jessie. “So, where’d you go on your date?”
“Jake took me into Nisswa for dinner.” She grinned at him. “We were going to try the drive-in tonight.”
“Are you serious? You’re not taking the van, are you?” Troy glared at her. That would mean that he and Jessie wouldn’t be able to use it tonight.
“No way. I’m not even asking Mom. I’m sure she’d say no.” She pouted, then sipped her beer. “Hey, it’s such a crappy day, maybe we could go and shoot some pool over at The Commander ?”
Troy looked at Jessie. Last time they were there, it was with Gary, and it was pretty tense. He lifted his chin to him. “What do you think?”
Jessie fingered the top of his beer. “Sure, what else we got to do? I don’t want to hang around here all day.” He offered Troy a faint smile.
“Okay, then. Let’s finish these up.” Troy gulped his beer down. “Jessie, you driving?”
“Jake’s got a cool Chevelle. He can drive us.” Donna batted her eyelashes at Jake.
Jake flushed. “I don’t know how cool it is. That Trans Am is pretty cool.” He gazed at Jessie. “I’ve always wanted to drive one of those.”
“Really? Then I’ll let you drive my car over.” Jessie flashed Jake a sly grin, keeping his gaze affixed on him.
Troy narrowed his eyes. Did Jessie think Jake was a fox, too? Jealousy seared across his chest. “Jess.”
Jessie continued to gaze at Jake.
“Jess.” Troy slapped his forearm.
“What?” Jessie startled and tore his gaze from Jake to focus on Troy. “Jesus, man. Take it easy.”
Troy pursed his lips, then leaned to Jessie and cupped his hand over his mouth, whispering into Jessie’s ear, “No looking, remember?”
Jessie lifted his brows. “I wasn’t.”
“What is going on over there?” Donna peered at them and drank her beer.
“Nothing. Drink up, so we can go.” Troy huffed and shook his head. This was going to be interesting. Maybe he could turn it around and see if Jessie got jealous. He let a faint smirk cross his mouth. Then maybe I can see how much Jessie likes me.