21. Kyle
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
KYLE
I ’m not sure how many days we’ve been in Moab, they’ve all started to blur together in a haze of sucking and stroking and coming.
We haven’t gone further than Ren’s bro-jobs, as he likes to call them, but we can’t seem to keep our hands off each other ever since that night we had our first kiss and played drunken truth or dare.
Straight guys do not feel this way about their best friends, and they certainly don’t let them do such things to their dicks.
But when I look at Ren, he seems so confident and carefree about it all, and there’s no denying that it feels good. The best orgasms I’ve ever had.
Ren makes me feel like what we’re doing is okay, so I push away any lingering uncertainty and decide to just enjoy the moment and enjoy the best trip of our lives.
He crawls up my body, kissing me sweetly before sweeping his tongue into my mouth and forcing me to taste myself. My cock chubs up again, even though I just came explosively.
“So, I was thinking we should probably get back on the road,” Ren says, smiling up at me as he settles on my chest with his hands tucked under his chin.
I know he can feel my length growing, pressing into his stomach.
“Where to?” I ask, continuing to take a back seat to his plans and just go with the flow. Ren’s flow.
“ Horseshoe Bend and then the Grand Canyon, ” he whispers, and a slow smile curls both of our lips. I begged my parents to take us there the summer after we learned about it in third grade geography.
“Bro, no way!”
Neither of us have ever seen it in person, and I can’t wait.
“I know, man! This is gonna be epic. It’ll take about five hours to get to Horseshoe Bend, but if we leave now, we’ll be there by early afternoon to choose our campsite and hopefully get some hiking or biking in.”
Despite his excitement over our next destination, Ren lets out a loud yawn.
“I’ll make a pot of coffee before we take off,” I murmur, absentmindedly running my fingers through his thick locks.
Being the only one who drives can’t be easy, but I’m just not comfortable with this big thing, and Ren knows it. He respects my boundaries and doesn’t push.
“ Mmm, ” he purrs, closing his eyes and leaning into my touch as I continue combing my fingers through his hair.
I love it when he wears it loose.
Using both hands, I gently scratch his scalp, continuing south to his neck and shoulders, massaging the stiff muscles there until he groans. “Keep doing that, and we’ll never get out of Moab,” Ren moans.
It’s been a long morning, stopping two more times to make coffee, but at least the pleasant aroma of Colombian dark roast has comforted us the entire way.
We’ve been driving through the desert for hours, nothing but dying shrubs and glimpses of the canyon in the distance to tease us.
“Are we there yet?” I whine, unable to keep the childish question inside my head where it belongs.
Despite all the caffeine, I’m starting to lose the battle with sleep, but we’ve got to almost be there.
Warren chuckles. “Now I know how your dad always felt on all those zoo trips when we were kids. And no, for the third and final time, we are not there yet. If we were, the RV wouldn’t still be moving.”
Smartass.
I glare at him with no real animosity, and he glances over, laughing at my scowl.
I’m just eager to get there and get some exercise in.
Ren found the perfect campsite on the app. It’s located a mile south of Horseshoe Bend, with beach access and great hiking options along the river.
Twenty minutes later, I’ve nearly dozed off, but Ren shouts, making me jolt upright.
“ We’re here! ”
Before we go to the campground, we’re stopping at the main Horseshoe Bend overlook for a photo op first.
He parks the RV in a crowded visitor’s lot, and we hop out, ready for a hike.
“Follow me,” Ren says confidently, strolling across the dusty parking lot.
His calves stretch and flex with each step, and the tiny athletic shorts show off his toned thighs and tight ass ? —
“The view is over here,” Ren says loudly and slowly, as if trying to get my attention.
My gaze darts up and meets his. Heat settles in my cheeks when I realize I’ve been caught staring.
What does it matter if I was checking him out?
My dick’s been in his mouth.
“Ky, I was just joking. I can see you overthinking. Come on,” Ren whispers when I seem to be stuck.
I finally move, following him as he leads us down a dirt path and through a sea of sand, shrubs, and rocks for what feels like a mile or two.
The obstructions finally clear, and I gasp at the sheer natural beauty of Horseshoe Bend as we walk up to a short wooden fence.
“ Wow, ” I murmur, taking in the breathtaking view in front of us.
I’m speechless.
“It’s magnificent,” Ren breathes.
He gets out his camera, snapping a pic before insisting on a selfie with me.
After we take a few more photos with our phones, we perch on the wooden railing, staring into the river and silently reflecting.
We don’t have to say anything, we can enjoy each other’s company and clear our heads without words.
I stare below as a few speedboats circle by, drifting into a peaceful lull.
Like many other times on this trip, I’m not sure how many minutes have passed, but I take a deep breath, sighing contentedly. “It really is beautiful,” I whisper, feeling the need to voice it out loud. “ Calming. ”
“It’s indescribable, making you feel as small as a grain of sand at the bottom of the canyon. But in the grand scheme of things . . . Out of all the matter in the entire universe, we’re less than a grain of sand. Not even a blip.”
“ Jesus Christ, Ren. That’s kinda dark, isn’t it?”
“Or is it transcendent, Kyle? Because if I’m less than a grain of sand, yet I can feel the things I feel and dream the things I dream, then imagine what else is out there. Imagine the things that are truly possible.”
I take my eyes off the curving river to stare at Warren instead.
He’s just as mesmerizing, I realize, and the depth of his words catches me off guard as it always does whenever he reveals this vulnerable side of himself.
Ren grabs my hand, threading our fingers together and squeezing tightly as he continues to stare at the river that’s spent millions of years carving its horseshoe-shaped path through the sandstone.
We lose more time sitting at the bend, and the hike back to the RV is silent, but Ren doesn’t let go of my hand the entire way. Until he has to unlock the door.
There was something magical about that place that I could never put into words, and it’s an experience I only share with Warren.
Luckily, the drive to the campsite is short—not even five minutes.
“ Look! ” Ren shouts with enthusiasm, taking his hand off the wheel to point at a placard that’s set into a massive boulder, reading Eight Mile Campground . He flips the blinker on, going as slow as possible. “Take a picture of it!”
I scramble to pull out his Polaroid camera and snap a quick photo, followed by a few on my phone. “ Got it, ” I tell him before we get honked at. I glance in the side mirror and see a few people backed up and waiting behind us.
We turn in, admiring the view, even though so far there’s nothing but desert and crumbling rock all around.
Ren once again finds the most secluded spot in the whole campground, and we gear up, getting ready for an afternoon spent swimming and kayaking.
My backpack is stuffed full with a towel, change of clothes, water, and plenty of snacks.
Ren tosses me the sunblock, and I catch it. “Definitely going to need this today on the river.”
I spray my arms, legs, and chest, then my palms, closing my eyes as I rub it on my face, including the tops of my ears. I stuff the can of sunblock into my bag so we can apply more later.
“This is going to be amazing, Ky. Seriously. We’re thirty feet above the river right now, so we have a short hike down to the beach, and then there should be trailheads and kayak rentals.”
I smile, excited to once again focus on the purpose of our trip, which means less jerking off and more bro-ventures.
We finish getting ready for the day, and then we’re off, starting our descent down the steep trail leading to the shore.
Ren once again casually grabs hold of my hand, lacing our fingers together.
I don’t fight it, I never do. And I’m starting to feel comforted by it. Like there’s someone who’s got my back right there next to me.
As soon as the shore comes into view, I can tell this location is more crowded than some of the other campsites we’ve stayed at. But that’s to be expected, considering the beauty of it.
Ren doesn’t seem to care that anyone could notice us holding hands, so, I decide not to worry either.
It’s really nice here. The shore is mostly sandy, but it’s a little rocky in areas too, so we step carefully. Sandstone cliffs tower above us as the sun beats down on our backs, and the cool water laps at our ankles.
It’s hot here.
Hotter than Colorado.
“Wanna swim?” Ren asks, the sun beaming down on his shiny top knot. His dark shades are hiding his eyes, but I know they’re sparkling too.
“Hmm?” I ask when he starts to get a crooked little grin.
What did he just say?
Shit. I was distracted.
“I said, wanna swim ?”
“Oh, um.” I glance behind me, still holding onto Ren’s hand. The beach is bustling with families, and I swear a few dads give us a frown. “Think we could go somewhere a little more private?” I ask, uncomfortable with how many people are here and being stared at like I’m something I’m not.
But even if I was, or Ren was, it’s none of their goddamn business.
I want to enjoy my afternoon freely, and if that means kissing my best friend, then so be it.
Ren gives my hand a little squeeze. “Of course. Let’s rent those kayaks, grab a map, and find another spot off the river that’s a little more private.”
Now, that sounds like a plan.