Warning: the following story contains graphic descriptions of male/male sex between consenting adults. If that sort of thing bothers you, or you are a minor, or it is illegal for you to read this type of content under the laws of your area, don’t read any further.

This is a work of fiction. Any similarity to actual people or events is purely coincidental.

Accolades, encouragement, suggestions, comments, and corrections are welcome and gladly accepted. Flames will be utterly ignored. <lavenderquill@yahoo.com>.

Other work by The Lavender Quill can be found on the web at <http://lavenderquill.tripod.com/>.

Setting: Sacramento, California, 2002.

Chapter 4.

I brought the pizza back to the kitchen. Robby was sitting at the table. I set the pizza down, and Robby burst out laughing.

"What?" I asked, smiling at him.

"You should see yourself. I'd pay money to know what that delivery guy was thinking when you opened the door." He started laughing again.

"Uh, I'm gonna go change," I said. The come in my pants was cooling and drying into an uncomfortable sticky mess. Robby just laughed harder. I smiled too. It was kind of funny.

When I had cleaned up and changed, and returned to the kitchen, I was feeling a little more normal, though still with a bit of a glow. My breathing was even and my heart was no longer racing. My erection had gone down. Robby was on his second slice of pizza. He handed me a slice, and I noticed that he had opened a soda for me. I smiled at him.

Neither of us said much as we wolfed down the pizza. We mostly grinned at each other. I couldn't help it. I felt so happy. When the pizza was gone, I felt sated, in more ways than one. I sat back in my chair.

"Robby…" I said. I was beginning to feel a little foolish for having come in my pants before we had gotten very far.

"Yeah?"

"Um, I don't have a whole lot of experience, but this has never happened before."

"You mean you don't come every time you kiss a guy?"

I smiled and blushed a little. "No. A couple guys I've been with wouldn't even kiss at all." I looked at him. "I know that I hardly know you, but I feel like we might have something going here." I wasn't sure what, exactly. Was it love? I wasn't even sure I knew what that meant, but it seemed ludicrous to think I was in love after one kiss. Nevertheless, there was something there. I felt more affection for Robby after one kiss that I hadn't felt for Sam after a pretty hot fuck.

"I think I know what you mean," he said. "I didn't come, but that kiss was more intense than anything I've ever felt before too."

I reached across the table, and he reached over and took my hand in his. "I don't want to blow this," I said. "I'm… I'm kind of scared."

"Me too," he said. He looked down for a minute, then looked back into my eyes with his intense gaze. "Part of me wants to throw you on the floor and fuck the hell out of you. The more sensible part of me doesn't want to rush too fast. I want to see if we have something special here. Something that might last. I think I'd like that."

"Me too." I looked at him for a minute. "I…" I dropped my head on to the table. Cripes, now what do I do, I wondered. I had just gotten off, and I felt sort of obligated to get him off too. But he didn't seem to need that, and I really just liked holding his hand at that particular moment. I looked up at Robby and laughed. "I'm so happy right this minute, and I want to stay this way, and I have no idea how to go about it."

Robby smiled at me. "Me neither. I hope we have fun figuring it out."

His cellular phone rang, and he took it out of his pocket. He pulled my hand to his lips and kissed my fingers before he released my hand and answered the phone. God, he was so sweet.

He listened to whoever had called for a minute. "You did what?" he said to his phone, rolling his eyes at me. "I won't know what it would take to fix it until I can look at it." He listened again. "Well, I'm on a job that will probably take a couple weeks at least." Another pause. "I don't know, hang on a minute." He put his hand over the mouthpiece and stood. I stood too, and he whispered to me, "Want to come with me and make some extra money?"

At that moment, I'd probably have done just about anything he asked. "Okay," I whispered back.

He took his hand away. "Yeah, I'll come and take a look at it. Its going to cost you, though. I have to charge double for night calls, plus my diagnostic assistant," he winked at me. "Fine. I'll be there in a half an hour." Then he beeped the phone off. He turned to me. "An office I wired a couple months ago," he explained. "They were moving some file cabinets, and smashed one of them against a jack. If the wire isn't damaged, it's an easy job. If the wire is damaged, I'll have to string a new one all the way from the panel in the basement parking garage."

He stepped up to me and kissed me. My passion ignited again almost immediately. I dragged myself away. "I thought you said we had to be there in a half hour?"

"I did," he grinned. "It takes less than twenty minutes to get there."

"You're bad," I said, and pulled him to me. We kissed again. This time more slowly, with less urgency. A lingering, pleasant, tender kiss. Nevertheless, we both had raging erections after ten minutes of kissing. When we broke our kiss, I reached down and groped his cock briefly. He gasped. "Is this the part that wants to throw me on the floor?" I asked mischievously.

"Oh, yeah. It rarely cooperates with my sensible part." He sighed. "My sensible part is telling me we should get going."

* * * * *

I followed him in my truck to the office building where his call came from. Robby brought a clipboard, and we went up to an office on the sixth floor. We met the guy who had called Robby, Jeff was his name, and he showed us to the room with the damaged jack was.

"Ouch," said Robby, looking at the jack. They had moved the offending file cabinet out of the way. We could see where it had been shoved sideways along the wall. A computer cable had been plugged in to the jack, and when the file cabinet hit it, it pulled the jack and over a foot of cable out of the wall. "An easy fix does not look promising." I remembered what he had said about how delicate the cable was. He turned to Jeff. "I'll need the key to your panel room. It will take us about a half hour to run some tests. Then I can tell you whether I have to run a new cable or not."

Jeff found the key Robby needed, and we went back out to his van. He gave me two padded cases, which I assumed contained testing equipment, and he took another two. One I recognized as his laptop. We went back into the building and took the elevator to down to the basement. Robby lead me to a room sort of like the one we had at the condo project, but there was no access shaft going up.

He opened one case and pulled out two gizmos that looked a little like small fat cellular phones. "Here, clip this to your belt," Robby said, handing me one. "I need you down here, and me upstairs, and we need to be able to talk to each other. These are two way radios." He took out a wire with an odd shaped bulb at the end. He stood in front of me and gave me an evil grin. He pulled up my shirt a little, and snaked his hand up my chest, pulling the wire with him. A shiver ran through me. He poked his hand up out of my neck hole, and he grabbed the end of the wire with his other hand. Then he slid his hand back down, raking down my torso, and rubbing my right nipple on the way past. The wire now ran from my neck to my waist inside my shirt. "This end goes in your ear," he said, pretending like he hadn't just given me a big thrill, "and the other end plugs in here." He jacked one end into the device at my belt. "You don't need a microphone. The earpiece picks up the sound when you talk by the vibrations in your jaw bone." I looked at him skeptically. "It works great. Trust me." He showed me how to put in the earpiece.

He took a second wire out of the case, and I snatched it out of his hand. "My turn," I said. I lifted his tee shirt up high, finally getting a good look at his chest. I ran both my hands up his entire torso from his belt to his neck, then slid the wire up through the neck hole. I slowly slid my hands back down, rubbing both his nipples with the balls of my thumbs before letting his shirt drop back in place. "Did I do that right?" I asked innocently.

"Mmmm. I think so. We may have to practice that some more. Later," he said pointedly. He plugged in his earpiece. He opened a wall panel, and disconnected one of the cable ends. He took some kind of testing equipment out and plugged the cable into the box, then plugged in a power chord. "Okay, we're set down here. I'm going up to the office. I'll walk you through the test sequence once I get everything set up. Ready?"

"I guess so. I don't really have any idea what I'm doing."

"Don't worry. All you'll have to do is push the right buttons when I tell you to."

"Okay."

He reached down and flipped on my two way radio, then turned his on. He picked up his equipment and walked out of the little room. A minute later I heard his voice in my ear "Can you hear me okay?" he asked.

"You're a little faint," I said.

"Try turning up the volume."

I found the knob and turned it up a little. "Got it. Say something again."

"I'm going up in the elevator."

"Okay, that's better. Wow, the sound quality is pretty amazing."

"Yep. I never buy cheap equipment."

"So what is the range on these things?" I asked.

"They're rated for a mile on open ground. It is a lot less than that inside a building where there is lots of stuff to block or interfere with the signal."

"Can anyone within range hear what we say if they are tuned in to the same frequency?"

"Yeah, but all they'd hear is static."

"Oh? Is it encrypted or something?"

"Smart boy. I may have to keep you around."

"So nobody can overhear me if I say that your skin drives me wild? That the next time I get your shirt off, I want to use my tongue instead of my hands?"

"Hi Jeff," I heard him say in my ear. He was obviously trying to tell me he'd reached the office. "My assistant is down in the panel room." I started laughing my ass off, imagining him trying to keep a straight face. "I'll set up here, and we should know more in a few minutes."

I sat on the floor and waited. I thought about Robby's chest. It really was fine. Even better than I imagined from looking at the picture he had emailed to me. I put my hands to my face, wishing I could transfer the essence of his skin to mine. God, was I falling for this guy in a big way? What a sap. He did say he wanted to keep me around. I hope he meant it in a romantic way.

"Kevin?" I heard in my ear. "Are you there?"

"Yep."

"Good. On the test box, flip on the power."

"Got it," I said, flipping the switch.

"Now press the green button numbered 'one'." The test went on like that for a while, me pressing buttons when he told me to. From my end, it was pretty boring. Finally he stopped.

"Damn, that's what I was afraid of. Jeff, the cable is bad. I'm going to have to run a new cable. Kevin, can you disconnect the test box? You don't have to reconnect the cable to the panel. It's shot anyway. Just bring the box up here with you?"

"Yes, I can do that," I said. "I'll be up in a few minutes." I disconnected the test unit from the cable, locked up the panel room, and headed for the elevator.

When I walked in to the office on the sixth floor, Robby had his stuff all put away, and was talking to Jeff.

"It is a half day job for two people," said Robby. "And like I said on the phone, I'm on another job right now."

"I can't wait two or three weeks to get it fixed," said Jeff. "Can you maybe do it over the weekend? I don't care what it costs. We'll pay you double." Jeff turned to me. "For each of you."

"I'll think about it," said Robby. "I'll call tomorrow and let you know, okay?"

"Please, Robby, I'm begging. Charge us anything you want. We need it back on line quick."

"I know. I'll call you tomorrow."

We rode down the elevator in silence, and walked to his van with the equipment.

"Would you be willing to help me out this weekend?" asked Robby. "I don't know what plans you have. I was hoping you and I could spend some time together, you know? I hadn't really thought about what we'd do, but rewiring an office doesn't sound too romantic. I could really use the money, though."

He said he wanted to spend time with me. I grinned at him like a puppy. "Robby, I want to help. I want to be with you too. It's only a half day. We still have the rest of the weekend to do romantic… stuff." That wasn't the most articulate sentence I'd ever uttered, but my brain was turning to mush. We both laughed.

"Thanks Kevin." He looked at his watch. I knew it was getting late. He looked around. "I'll see you tomorrow." Then he reached up and pulled me to him. He kissed me right there in the dark parking lot. It freaked me out a little bit, but I twined my tongue around his for a minute anyway. It was kind of a thrill, actually. We broke it off before we got too crazy. "Sweet dreams." He gave me a lecherous grin as he got in his van.

I was grinning from ear to ear as I walked over to my truck.

* * * * *

I was still on an emotional high when I got back to my apartment. I called my parents and talked to my mother for a while. I don't recall what we talked about. My mind was elsewhere. I hadn't called in a while, however, and I knew if I didn't call, they would start to worry. I regularly called or went over to visit at least once a week or so.

I cleaned up the kitchen and threw a load of laundry into the washing machine.

I wasn't going to bother with the internet. I was so horny for Robby, I didn't care at all about surfing for pictures of guys. Then I wondered if Robby had sent me another email, so I turned on my computer. Sure enough, when I checked my email, there was one from him.

"hey stud. i can't get U out of my mind. some day soon we will have to take care of my lusting part, or my sensible part will go insane. thanx for helping me tonight. u r sweet. not a bad kisser either. roBBy."

There was a file attached to the email, and I opened it. It was another picture of Robby. There was a date stamp in the corner, so I knew he had just taken the picture that day, presumably right before he sent me the email. He was leaning back in a chair in front of his computer. He was wearing only a pair of white lowcut briefs. Though I couldn't make out any clear details, there was a substantial bulge stretching the white fabric. His legs were creamy like the rest of him, with just a dusting of fine black hair.

I emailed him back: "i think u cast a voodoo spell on me. i was going to write a long flowing email declaring my undying affection, but suddenly i find that i can only use one hand to type. the other is busy with something else. smooches, K."

Indeed, I jacked myself to a huge orgasm looking at his picture before I turned the computer off and went to bed.

* * * * *

The next day at the construction site was an ordeal. I think I had half an erection the whole morning. Every time I looked at Robby, I saw the picture of him in his bulging underwear in my mind. I could tell he knew what I was thinking because of the way he looked at me and smirked sometimes.

"I think I know what you mean by having two parts," I said to him quietly as we walked down for our lunch break. "My sensible part has only a fleeting hold over the other part right now." He gave me a dopey grin as we walked over to where the rest of the guys were sitting.

The afternoon went a little easier. He told me a little about his family, and it helped get my mind off his crotch. His parents were very conservative devout Christians. They loved him a great deal, but they were very rigid in their beliefs. I could tell he was torn. He obviously loved them too, but felt trapped.

I told him a bit about my family too. I told him that I'd told my uncle I liked boys. That I hadn't said anything to my parents yet, but was working up the courage to tell them. I thought most likely they wouldn't be thrilled with the idea, but they would accept it. Robby, on the other hand, felt that there was no way he could ever possibly tell his parents. I could tell that was hurtful to him. I know it would be to me if I felt that way.

I felt sorry for him, and wished I could hold him and comfort him. He was trying really hard to be responsible and run a small business, but really he was not much older than I. He needed someone to love him for who he was. I wondered if I could be that someone.

At the end of the shift, we each had our one beer. Robby had to go home, he said, because it was Friday night, 'fish night'. He explained that it was a religious thing, to eat fish on Fridays. He couldn't easily skip it. We made plans to meet the next day to do the repair at the office building. It almost hurt to watch him drive off. Jeeze I had it bad.

I waited till all the other guys left, then sat down with my uncle. "Uncle Don, how do you know when you're in love?"

"Hell, Kevin, if I knew that, I wouldn't be running a construction business." He laughed. Then he turned serious. "Robby?" he asked.

"Is it that obvious?" I was mortified that he could tell so easily.

"Probably not to most people. But I got to thinking. You're a good looking young guy, he's a good looking young guy. I started watching the two of you together, noticing the way you look at each other. You're just like any other young couple, all moon eyed when you're around each other." I rolled my eyes. "Don't worry. I don't think any of the guys would notice unless they were specifically looking for it." He paused. "Is it love or lust?"

"I…" I thought for a moment. "I don't really know. Well, lust for sure. I mean, the guy is totally fucking hot!" I looked at my uncle and blushed, not sure if I'd said a little too much. I barreled on, "But I think there is more to it than that. I've only known him for a few days, and already he drives me wild. I've dated a few other guys, but I never felt much of anything emotionally with them. That was just lust. Just sex. I'm not sure what this is with Robby."

"You're going through what every teenager goes through," said my uncle. "You're just arriving a bit later than others." He paused in thought for a few seconds. "Lust is purely physical. Love is more. Lust is sex. Love is a bonding, an attachment, a connection that surpasses sex. Sex is a part of it, but a much smaller part than you imagine at your age." I looked at him skeptically. "Its true. When I was your age, I wanted to get married partly just so I could have sex five times a day. Now that I've been married twenty two years, we only have sex a few times a month." I looked at him incredulously. "Don't look so shocked. The same is true for most people married that long. So there has to be more to a relationship than lust if it is going to last."

"Like what?" I asked.

"Well, I don't know. Can you picture yourselves together forever, even when you're old, and gray haired or bald, and fat? Do you make each other happy? Not just in bed, but spiritually or emotionally or whatever? Do you care as much about his needs as your own? If you are in the same room as each other, and you're not touching each other, and you aren't talking, does it make you happy just to be with him? Does that silence make you comfortable or nervous, happy or scared?"

"I want all those things. I think he does too. How do we make it work?"

He laughed. "Sorry, I know you were asking a serious question. But it's like asking 'what is the meaning of life?'. Everyone wants to know the answer, and the answer is different for everyone, and nobody really knows. It is an impossible question to answer."

"God, I feel like a little kid," I said. "I'm afraid of screwing it up. I want it to be perfect, but I feel like I have no idea what I'm doing."

My uncle punched my shoulder. "Welcome to adolescence--if a few years late. Don't try too hard to be perfect. None of us are. Just try to be good to each other, and forgive each other for minor screwups along the way." I looked at him. "You are a good guy, Kevin. I know you're nervous right now, but you have a good heart. If you are honest with each other and nice to each other, you'll work out the rest."

We sat in silence for a while, each lost in our own thoughts. It was somehow comforting to sit in silence with my uncle. I wondered if I could feel the same around Robby. Finally, he got up and put the beer cooler away.

"Thanks, Uncle Don. I'll see you on Monday."

* * * * *

When I got back to my apartment, I looked around, and for the first time it dawned on me that it looked lifeless. It was a very basic apartment with generic beige carpets and plain white walls. I had done little to improve it. All the furniture was hand-me-downs or used furniture that I bought because it was all I could afford at first. There was almost nothing that gave any hint of my personality. After spending the last couple of days so enthralled with Robby, my apartment suddenly seemed cold and impersonal.

I ate three peanut butter sandwiches, then went in my room and turned on my computer. No email from Robby yet, but it was still pretty early and I didn't really expect there would be. An idea was forming in my mind, and I wrote an email to him:

"hey man of my dreams. i want to know everything about you. tonight, i want to know what your favorite color is, and i want to know why, what it means to you. i've gone a whole day without a kiss from you, and it feels like a year. Kev."

Then I went to the grocery store. I'm no gourmet, but I was sure I was capable of doing better than frozen pizza if I worked at it. I perused a shelf of cookbooks and found one that seemed my speed called 'Six Ingredients or Less'. I flipped through it till I found something that sounded good, and not too complicated. I found the requisite six ingredients, plus some ice cream, and checked out.

I went home and put everything away. I thought about going to a movie, but decided if I went to a movie, I wanted to go with Robby. I was restless, and wanted Saturday to arrive so I could see him again. I cleaned a little, and played some video games, mostly just to kill the evening.

When I figured it was late enough. I checked my email. I smiled when I saw I had one from Robby. I opened it anxiously.

"hey stud boi. dinner was hell. yet another inquest about potential girlfriends. GROAN. my favorite color is green--a dark rich shade of green. i like warm rich colors, and it makes me think of pine boughs. one of my favorite things to do when i was a kid was camping with my family or boy scouts. yes, i was a boy scout. can you believe it? here is another picture. the blanket is the color of green i like. sweet dreams, roBBy."

I opened the attached file. It was a picture of Robby laying face down on his bed, completely naked, looking seductively at the camera. The curves of his soft creamy flesh stood out in contrast against the dark green blanket. His ass was beautiful. I wanted to pull him through my monitor and eat him alive. What a tease!

I wrote him back a quick response: "nice blanket!! thanx. sorry i can't return the favor. maybe you'll have to loan me the digital camera for a day. Kev."

I smiled to myself and wondered just how risque I might be willing to get for pictures for Robby.

(To be continued.)