Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 03:44:12 -0500 (CDT) From: Dave Subject: Jonathan gets "Lucky" with Jeremy The following story is a complete fantasy and is not meant to suggest anything about the sexual orientation of the actors mentioned. This piece is unsuitable for minors. Before you begin, you should know (hopefully you already do): Jonathan Jackson, a total BABE(!), has played Lucky Spencer on General Hospital since 1993 and recently co-starred opposite Michelle Pfeiffer, Whoopi Goldberg, and Treat Williams in Deep End of the Ocean. Jeremy Torgerson played Ranny on Second Noah, which ABC tragically cancelled in 1997 after less than two full seasons. Somebody please give this stud another role! *** Most teenage actors would readily admit that they love life in the Hollywood fast lane. Some thrive on it (Leonardo DiCaprio), a few shun it (Rick Schroder), others lose control (Corey Haim), and every once in a while, someone doesn't survive it (River Phoenix). It's only after they get a little older (if they can sustain their careers) that they start to become weary of the "regimen". The regimen is everything that being a star entails. Patiently answering the same questions in interview after interview to promote your latest project. Having to be "on" every second of every minute in public. Not being able to enjoy a meal at a restaurant without getting hounded for an autograph. Trying to maintain your identity behind a facade of unrealistic expectations created by your fans, who, without ever having met or spoke to you, construct a full persona based entirely upon characters you PLAY. The payoff is adulation and a lot of money, making it especially easy for young actors to put the pedal to the metal. Jonathan Jackson's life had seemingly been moving almost too fast lately. In March, he took part in a whirlwind of talk shows and interviews as part of a promotional blitz for Deep End of the Ocean. He was receiving rave reviews for his role as the troubled teenage son of Michelle Pfeiffer's character. As a result, he had made the most difficult decision of his young life. After playing Luke and Laura Spencer's son Lucky on General Hospital for the past six years, he announced in April he was leaving the show to concentrate on films. On top of that, last week's People Magazine named him one of this year's 50 Most Beautiful People! Among male teen idols, this honor places him in highly select company alongside another past recipient, a certain superstar who starred in that little movie about the sinking ship. All this for a sweet 16 year old preparing to celebrate his 17th birthday on May 12. His birthday was actually one of the things he had been looking most forward to lately. His brother Richard and some of Jon's closest friends were throwing him a party the second Saturday of May. Rich, a hottie in his own right, is also an actor who plays Ryan on Saved by the Bell's New Class. As the final weeks of shooting for General Hospital wound down, a flood of e-mail and letters from the show's millions of fans poured in. Most expressed profound sadness that he was leaving along with good luck wishes for the future. Let's face it...these people had witnessed Jon, along with Lucky, blossom from a cute 11 year old kid into a sexy teen heartthrob, and they loved him for it. He tried to personally respond to as much of the mail as he could, but he was forced to let ABC handle most of the load. As if he weren't busy enough and stressed out as it was, he had the completion of his first year of college courses to worry about. An outstanding student, he had finished high school over a full year early. In addition, he was nervously waiting for a possible offer to play Harrison Ford's son in the upcoming sequel to Patriot Games and Clear & Present Danger. To put it simply, he had May 8th underlined, circled, and highlighted on his calendar. Since the brothers share a house with their mom in Burbank near the ABC Studios, Rich thought it might not be the most ideal location for JJ's party. Instead, he had arranged to have it at a friend's house on Hermosa Beach. In an effort to keep things under control, he had only invited Jon's closest friends, along with a few of his own. Rich knew how these things could go. Word of mouth in Hollywood, more powerful than anywhere else on the planet, could turn a small gathering of good friends into an all-out bash of hundreds of people. That was to be avoided at all costs for its potential to attract the attention of local authorities to an otherwise harmless occurrence of underage drinking. As the big day finally arrived, JJ wrapped up some loose ends at ABC during the day and joined his mom for an early dinner in Beverly Hills. After dinner, he quickly headed back home to change and throw some additional clothes in a bag. His brother had continually reminded him throughout the week to prepare for an overnight stay. As he and his black Porsche headed west on the Ventura Freeway to pick up the southbound 405 and head down to Hermosa Beach, the sun was beginning to set over the Pacific. Although the scene required his Ray Ban ovals, it was spectacular. And while he still preferred those he remembered off the Washington coastline as a boy, Jon never took L.A. sunsets for granted. He took a moment to appreciate this one as U2's "One Tree Hill" resounded from the CD player. By the time he was making his way west down Artesia Boulevard to the ocean, it was dark. Being a Saturday, all the bars at the base of Hermosa Beach Pier were overflowing. He turned onto the last street that ran parallel to the beach and eventually found the address. Judging by the unmistakable beat of a blaring bass rhythm and the long line of expensive cars parked bumper to bumper on the street, this was defiinitely the right place. His brother had assured him he would reserve a spot in the driveway, and, sure enough, there was a piece of posterboard attached to an orange cone that read, "Birthday Boy Parking Only". As Jon hopped out of the car, he glanced at his watch. He hadn't really meant to be fashionably late to his own party, but he was. It was a little after 8:00, and the invitations had encouraged everyone to arrive by 7:00. He noticed a slight chill in the air. While the inland high that day had been 70 degrees, the fact that the sun had set combined with the immediate proximity to the ocean had cooled the temperature into the middle 50s. JJ thanked himself for listening to his brother and bringing some extra clothes. When he got to the front door, he took a deep breath. Although he had reached star status years ago, being the center of attention at one of these things was still a little nerve-racking. While he had a pretty good idea who would be there, you just never really knew who might show up. Acting and media interviews were all about "fitting the suit" of a professional and public persona. This, on the other hand, was real-life, adolescent social pressure. He rang the bell. *** Part 2 As usual, Jonathan looked like the bomb. His expertly coiffured brown hair was parted in the middle, and several longer waves spilled softly onto each eyebrow. He wore a loose-fitting, dark blue, long-sleeve satin shirt, which perfectly complimented his gorgeous eyes and made them glisten like blue diamonds. He left the top two buttons unfastened, exposing a thin necklace which carried a small silver cross. Another dangled from his left earlobe. He had on faded blue jeans and a wide, black leather belt with a stylishly unpretentious silver buckle. A pair of black Doc Martens completed the package. The door swung open, and he was greeted by Richard. "It's about time, bro! The natives were getting restless." "Sorry, dinner with Mom ran late," Jon responded in that irresistably sexy voice of his. "No biggie. Come on in." Rich turned around and yelled to the guests, "Hey look everybody! Guess who finally decided to show up?" The comment was met with a rousing cheer. "So, how 'bout a brew?" "Sounds great." Jon's attention quickly turned to the mountain of gifts on the entry table. He had made it perfectly clear to his brother that he didn't need anything from his friends. Instead, he asked that the invitations politely encourage a donation to the Humane Society in lieu of a gift. Jon had five cats at home, so his favorite charity was no secret. "I thought I said no gifts!" "Chill.....they're just gags!" Leave it to Rich to conjure up such a scheme and ensure that everyone but Jon knew about it. "Besides, knowing your friends, I'm sure the Humane Society raked it in this week." "What's THAT supposed to mean?" "It means that your friends are some of the nicest people I've ever met. Now shut up and join them!" They both smiled. "OK.....OK!" JJ set down his leather duffle next to the coat closet and briefly surveyed the place from the foyer. It was really nice, but not overly huge or lavish. Missing a true lived-in feel, it appeared that the owner used it only as a weekend escape. Count on one of two things when it comes to beachfront property in L.A. It's so ridiculously expensive that it's either owned by someone extremely wealthy or by a realty company which purchased it as an investment and rents it out for gobs of cash during the summer. The house was a typical A-frame, reminiscent of a mountain chalet. There was a significant amount of exposed wood, with dark beams crisscrossing a vaulted ceiling above a large, step-down living room. To the left, a circular staircase led to upper level bedrooms and lower level beach access. The far side of the room was framed by massive floor-to-ceiling windows which faced the ocean. Musical equipment was set up on the right, including drums, a couple of guitars, a keyboard, and some amps. As Rich led him into the living room, many of the guests converged to greet the man of the hour. Although most were friends from outside the industry, there were a fair share of Hollywood types represented. They included Jon's young cohorts from the General Hospital cast, Tyler Christopher, Amber Taublyn, and Rebecca Herbst; Ryan Merriman, whom he had befriended during the filming of Deep End of the Ocean; as well as Rich's pals from Saved by the Bell's New Class, Ben Gould, Anthony Harrell, Sarah Lancaster, Samantha Becker, and Lindsey McKeon. Acting is no different than any other profession in that friendships often arise out of working with people day in and day out for months or, in the case of a weekly TV show, even years. That's not to say every actor comes out of every project with lifelong friends, but it certainly helps to be down-to-earth and genuinely nice. Like Jonathan and Richard Jackson. In all, there were probably at least fifty people in attendance. Most were under 25, and many were younger than that. In other words, it might have been a liitle awkward for Rich to have invited someone like Michelle Pfeiffer, who Jon nonetheless considered a good friend after their recent project, or Anthony Geary, his real life mentor and TV dad on General Hospital. The bottom line was that this was, above all else, a 17th birthday party, tried and true. Tyler was one of the first to get to JJ. "Happy birthday, bud!" They exchanged a big hug and Ty joked, "Let's see....last year you got your driver's license. Next year you can vote. I guess I don't know what to say about this year. I just hope you get laid tonight!" Everyone in the immediate vicinity burst out laughing. "You can count on it, big guy!" Jon shot back with a wide grin. Just then Rich returned from the kitchen with a couple Heinekens and the remote control for the stereo. He turned down the volume to a murmur, clanged the bottles loudly several times, and handed one to Jon. "Folks! If I could have everyone's attention for a minute, I'd like to propose a toast." The request was granted, and the chatter faded. "First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for coming. I guess when it comes to my brother, it shouIdn't surprise me that almost everyone we invited is here. I know he's really pumped to see all of you. Secondly, as everyone here tonight is WELL AWARE, People Magazine recently named Jon one of this year's 50 Most Beautiful People." The latter comment was met by a mixture of cheers and sarcastic jeers. Jon chuckled and blushed. "I know...I know. You've probably been wondering the same thing as I have. Who the HELL made that decision? Now Gwyneth Paltrow I understand, but MY BROTHER??? I can only deduce that our mother must have threatened each and every member of the selection committee." Laughter exploded throughout the room. "Whatever the case may be, Jon, like Austin Powers, is now chased by packs of screaming girls wherever he goes." The laughter intensified. "Consequently, my brother will be entering the Witness Protection Program and will be dumping all of us for a new family and new friends." By this point, many people were wiping their eyes. Granted, some were doing it as a sarcastic weeping gesture to play along with "being dumped". But most were wiping away actual tears, the kind caused by irritation of the funny bone. Rich waited a few moments for the chuckling to subside. "On a more serious note, I would like to congratulate Jon for six outstanding years on General Hospital, as well as for the success of his new movie." Rich paused to applaud, which began a chain reaction that spread across the room. Jon bowed his head and repeated the words "Thank you" several times. He was really blushing now. "Here's to my little brother. Cheers! And happy birthday." The group raised their drinks in unison and returned the toast. "Thanks, Rich. You've always been the greatest." As they embraced, they were greeted with a collective "Awwwww!" from their audience. Someone directed the ceremonial "Speech!" yell to Jon, and it was quickly seconded. "Reliable sources informed this was going to be a birthday party, not a roast. I'd really like to thank all of you guys for coming tonight. It really means a lot to me to have such great friends. Now I have one request, no actually two." He paused briefly and used his fingers to count to five. "Make that five requests." As a broad grin swept across his face, he grabbed the stereo remote, brought it up to his mouth to mimic a microphone, and screamed in perfect rapper style, "PUMP UP THE VOLUME, PUMP UP THE VOLUME, PUMP UP THE VOLUME, DANCE, DANCE!" With everyone once again in stiches, he turned the music even louder than it had been before. The myriad of conversations resumed in full force. "You guys should be posterboys for brothers throughout the world", Rebecca noted. "Oh, believe me. We're not always this nice to each other", Rich replied. "Yeah, he's usually a real ass." Jon's quip cracked up those within earshot. As he slowly made the required rounds, Jon's wit and charm had everyone spellbound, particularly the ladies. After a couple hours, Rich walked up and asked quietly, "You know, as host of this little shindig, I feel obligated to ask you the proverbial 'Are you having a good time?' " "Yes, I'm having a wonderful time." "Good, I'm relieved to hear that. In the meantime, it looks like you and I are both ready for another beer." As his brother turned and took a step toward the kitchen, Jon tugged his sleeve. "Hey Rich!" "Yeah?" "Do you happen to know where the thermostat is in this place?" "No, why?" "I'm burning up!" "You know.....now that you mention it, it is pretty hot in here. Hold on a minute while I grab our beers." It seemed like Jon barely had time to wipe his brow before Rich was back with two more Heinekens. "Come on." "Where are we going?" Jon questioned. "Somewhere we can cool down for a few minutes." Rich led his brother to the circular staircase, and they followed it down to a large rec room. It contained a pool table, dart board, foosball table, and wetbar. This was obviously where Rich's friends had been hiding out all night. Anthony, Samantha, Lindsey, and Sarah were shooting stick. "Hey guys", Rich shouted. "What's up Rich?" Anthony responded. "Hey, Jon, happy b-day my man." The girls flashed smiles and passed along birthday greetings as well. But what really caught Jon's eye was the Pop-A-Shot game in the corner. He was an all-around basketball nut. He loved watching both NBA and college games, and he and Rich had a hoop at home. The small-scale free throw shooting machines had always been his first choice in an arcade. "You knew that was down here all along, didn't you?" he interrogated. "Look, I was afraid that if I showed you that earlier, you would be down here all night, ignoring your guests." "Thanks for having such confidence in my self control!" "Need I remind you of the time last summer at Santa Monica Pier when you played that damn game for hours? Face it.....you've got a problem!" Rich opened a door to a porch enclosed on all sides by horizontally louvered windows. The fact that a couple of them were cracked open placed the cool room in stark contrast to the upstairs steambath. A wide variety of potted plants and flowers filled the area. Many hung from hooks suspended from the ceiling. Two sofas on either side of a table formed an L in the far corner. The only light came from a small table lamp. Rich noticed Ben Gould sitting on one couch talking to someone lounging on the other. Because of the poor lighting, he didn't immediately recognize who it was. Jon certainly did, and his heart plunged to his stomach. It was fellow former ABC employee Jeremy Torgerson of the regretfully short-lived Second Noah. Jon had been a fan of the show during its two seasons. In fact, he even made this opinion known to a couple of ABC executives when rumors first surfaced that the show was on the chopping block. Despite a massive letter-writing campaign by fans, the network pulled the plug in late 1996. But JJ was more than just a casual viewer. It was no coincidence that Jon tended to steer clear of his love life during interviews. Questions as to whether he was dating anyone were routinely answered in the form of a smile and a head shake. Any pursuit of the issue was met with the usual excuse of simply being "too busy". This was partly because Jon, like any celebrity, desperately needed the balance of a private life. After all, privacy protects the soul and helps us remain the unique individuals that we are. However, the deeper issue was that he had begun to fantasize about other guys a couple years earlier. It started innocently enough, a momentary attraction to a boy he might see at the beach or in the mall. At the time, he brushed it off. Perhaps it was just a phase of puberty, he thought. But lately the visions in his dreams had become amazingly vivid. It was especially difficult in light of his devout religious beliefs. He certainly hadn't mentioned it to anyone and repressed his feelings as intensely as he could. He hadn't come close to even considering acting on them. Jon knew It was no coincidence that cases of teen idols coming out of the closet were few and far between. Unfortunately, the stereotype that such a move was career suicide was firmly entrenched in Tinseltown. The reality of the moment was that Jeremy was one of the guys that Jon had fantasized about. Who could blame him? He was a blonde bombshell, and tonight was no different. He wore a long-sleeve, plaid flannel. It was charcoal gray accented with black and white stripes. Untucked and fully unbuttoned, it exposed a black Polo t-shirt. He had on stonewashed blue jeans and a pair of black nubuck Rockports. He also sported what appeared to be a recent haircut, fairly short on the sides and back, and feathered with some gel from his right on the top. One long strand curled down just above his left brow. "How's it goin', gentlemen?" Ben asked. "You guys know Jeremy, right?" "Oh, yeah. I didn't recognize you at first. What's up?" Rich had met him on a couple of occasions through Ben. "Hi, Rich. Good to see you again", Jeremy responded as he shook his hand. "Have you met Jon?" Rich questioned. He nodded and glanced toward JJ. Their eyes met and Jeremy flashed a quick smile. "Yeah, I think it was at a network party a couple years ago, right?" "I'm surprised you remember that", Jon replied as they shook hands. Sure enough, they had been introduced at a function hosted by ABC in late summer, 1996. Jon recalled being enraptured by the handsome blonde's one-in-a-million smile and surfer boy good looks. "Of course I do. I'm a big fan of your work. By the way, happy birthday." "Thank you." At first, Jon was bummed when Rich plopped down next to Jeremy. But he quickly came to his senses and realized that sitting beside Ben allowed him to keep his eyes on the prize. And, man, what a prize! JT had a pair of eyes that slowed the passage of time. They were an astounding shade of hazel that radiated against his slightly tanned face like the summer moon over a northern Minnesota lake. "Thanks for having me", Jeremy added as he roused Jon from the momentary daze. Ben butted in, "Hey, I know it's his birthday and all, but you're giving HIM the credit for the Big Salad! You should be thanking ME! I'm the one that allowed you to tag along tonight!" The others cracked up. As Rich stood up, he announced, "OK, all this mutual adulation is making me sick. And, Ben, in honor of your dripping sarcasm I nominate you to help me get everything ready for our set." Rich was referring to a set by Scarlet Road, his and his brother's band. Based on popular demand, he had twisted Jon's reluctant arm into playing a short set, even though the group's other two members, their dad and uncle, were not at the party. "Me? What about him?" Ben slung back as he pointed to Jon and futilely tried to fight off a huge smile. "This preferential treatment is getting a little out of control!" "Come on, lazy ass!" Rich replied as he grabbed Ben's arm. Judging by their hearty laughter, Jon and Jeremy were enjoying the show. His good friend dragged him to his feet, but Ben was thriving on it. He had the innate ability to cut up just about anybody at anytime. "Hey, this is assault! I think I'm going to file a formal complaint with the Party Police!" As they walked out, Ben quipped, "You know, it's not federal law that all families by the name of Jackson have to form a music group. That statute refers to Bradys only." "Ha, ha! Very funny, shithead!" Rich's voice tailed off. The giggling of the room's two remaining occupants continued for several moments. The realization that they were now alone hit Jon like an avalanche. Jeremy interrupted the background music spilling from upstairs after only a few seconds. For Jon, the butterflies in the pit of his stomach had made it seem like a lifetime. "So how does it feel to be 17?" "Well, to be perfectly honest, I don't know yet. I don't turn 17 until Tuesday." "Well, you'll have to let me know. I'll be joining you in a couple of weeks." Jon's mind unsuccessfully drifted through the possibilities of that statement. "What do you mean?" "My birthday", Jeremy answered matter-of-factly. "My brother Jon and I turn 17 on May 24." "Do you really? That's wild! Where were you guys born?" "Orlando." "You gotta be shittin' me! That's where I was born!!!" "Wow! It looks like we have a lot in common." "I'll say. So what have you and your brother been up to since Second Noah was, ah..." Jeremy sensed Jon's discomfort. "What, you mean since the show was cancelled? You know, it's funny. People think it bothers Jon and I to hear that word. But it's really not a big deal. It's ancient history to us." "Well, for what it's worth, I loved it." "Really?" "You bet! I watched it every week. I just think it's sad that the best quality shows always seem to struggle." "Thanks, Jon. That means a lot, especially coming from you. In response to your original question, Jon and I are wrapping up high school in Tampa, and then it's off to college." "Where to?" "That's the problem. At this point, I'm still up in the air. That's why I decided to jet out here for a couple months. You know, see what's on the table, maybe do a few auditions, check out UCLA, hash it all out." "I don't think you can go wrong at UCLA. It's an excellent school." "The bottom line is that I just got in town yesterday. All I want to do for the first few days is bum around on the beach." "Well, you've come to the right place." "Speaking of the beach, have you seen the deck on this place?" "No, actually I've been upstairs all night." "Oh, you have GOT to check this out!" Jeremy stood up and walked over to a large sliding glass door. "Come on!" he urged as he slid it open. Jon got up and followed his newfound birthday buddy outside. They were immediately greeted by the powerful cadence of waves arriving onshore only a few hundred feet away. A nearly full moon illuminated the wide expanse of sand and endlessly cascading surf. Only the blackness of the Pacific lay beyond. The resonant pattern created by the Moana Nui, as Hawaiians call it, was only interrupted by the occasional squawk of a seagull or the telltale hum of an inline skater gliding past on the asphault beachwalk below. The deck itself encompassed a sizable area. Small black torchlights were affixed to posts every few yards along the railing. In addition to a built-in bench on all sides, it featured an abundant collection of movable furniture as well. But by far the most impressive asset was a black gas fireplace. The item's low, circular design, along with its central location, made it the focal point of the entire patio. That fact was made even more obvious when Jeremy flipped a switch on the wall, and a large, bluish flame ignited under its canopy. "Is that not totally cool?" Jeremy remarked, brimming with pride over his achievement. As Jon strolled over to take a closer look, the warmth from the intense flame blanketed the whole area, creating a cozy haven against the chilly night. "Jer, there are only two sure things in life. The sun WILL rise in the morning, and the party WILL be moving down here." He continued walking toward the far side and, upon reaching the edge, leaned his forearms on the railing. Jeremy, trailing behind, struck a similar pose a few moments later. A half mile to the north, the lights of Hermosa Beach Pier extended into the dark sea like an unattended fishing pole. "Don't you just love the ocean?" "Yeah, I do. In Tampa, we have the Gulf, but it's not the same. To think that somewhere out there is Hawaii, and, beyond that, Japan." "I admire its staying power. I mean, it's ALWAYS there. No matter how hectic life becomes, no matter how old we get, the ocean stays the same. We can always sit down on some sand or a rock and watch the sunset. Or maybe just listen to the crashing waves." He turned to Jeremy. "Do you ever think about weird stuff like that?" Jeremy glanced back. "First of all, it's not weird. And yes, all the time." He gazed out at the water again. "I think about all the exciting stories the tide could tell. Terrifying storms, sunken treasure, dreams realized, hopes dashed. Even sappy stuff like messages in bottles and lost love." A mischievous grin invaded his expression. "But most of all I imagine hot, passionate sex on the secluded beach of a remote tropical island, as waves gently lap at my feet." They both cracked up. "Something told me you were a horndog!" Kidding aside, Jon hoped his jaw hadn't dropped too far below his waist. Speaking of below his waist, he suddenly felt his cock spring to attention beneath his boxers. "I'm sorry for ruining our session of deep thoughts, but I couldn't resist." Jeremy's broad smile exposed two rows of the straightest, whitest teeth imaginable. They were surrounded by a pair of equally luscious, thin lips which tapered to the cutest set of dimples on the planet. Considering the boys were standing side by side, their faces only a head bend apart, Jon wanted nothing more than to lean over and sample every other detail of Jeremy's mouth with his own. Even though he felt a vibe unlike anything he had ever experienced, he chose to ignore it. What if his feelings betrayed him? What if Jeremy punched him, shouted "I'm straight, you jackass!", and ran? His mind flashed to the nightmarish horror of a National Inquirer cover story...."Second Noah's Jeremy Torgerson: 'Jonathan Jackson Is Gay!' " It was too risky, he concluded. His heart sank, almost sensing it had been defeated. "Well, I guess it's high time to entertain the troops." "Yep, go knock 'em dead!" "Why don't you come up?" "Are you guys any good? I mean, I didn't bring any earplugs or anything", Jeremy replied, trying to keep a straight face. "Yeah, you weasel, we are. Besides, it'll give you an opportunity to meet and hang out with some of my friends instead of hiding out downstairs all night. Rich and I will play a few songs, and then we'll bring the party out here." "Sounds like a plan." They turned and walked back toward the house. Just before Jon reached the door, he stopped dead in his tracks. Realizing he had left his beer on the railing, he did an about-face and, BAM!, Jeremy ran right into him. At the moment of impact, they let out a collective "ugghhh". Immediately thereafter was the unmistakable sound of glass hitting something hard. Unbeknown to Jon, Jeremy had grabbed the bottle, but the collision knocked it from his hand. After slamming to the deck, it somehow remained unbroken. Its contents were not as lucky and quickly gushed between the gaps in the wood. "I'm so sorry! I have an awful habit of looking down when I walk. I should pay more attention to where I'm going." They simultaneously crouched to retrieve the empty container. "Your fault? No way! I'm the one who forgot the ah...." Jon abruptly lost his train of thought. The boys were a mirror image, like two baseball catchers squaring off at the OK Corral. Jon's eyes drifted down to a birdseye view of Jeremy's crotch. The delicious thought of what lay beyond those folds of denim electrified his spine, as well as a more important (at least at the moment), even more rigid body part. Just as he snapped himself out of the erotic trance, he glanced up to the beautifully shocking sight of Jeremy's slowly approaching face. Before he had time to even think about leaning forward to greet him, Jeremy's soft, warm lips touched his. They closed gently around his upper lip, then the lower, in two distinct kisses. Before long, the blonde's tongue slid cautiously between them. Answering the call, Jon opened his mouth fully, and Jeremy dove in. His tongue quickly discovered its well-lubed counterpart, and the boys shared a wildly exciting session of frenching. As their tongues continued a unique version of Wrestlemania and they freely exchanged tastes of saliva, the definitive sounds of absolute and total face-sucking quietly reverberated. Eventually, the intense makeout session literally knocked Jon on his ass. Jeremy seized the opportunity and kneeled between his legs. No longer resting their weight uncomfortably on the balls of their feet, they relaxed into a deeply romantic liplock. It was almost as if they were competing to see whose tongue could probe further into the other's mouth. The rapidly rising passion had made Jon as hard as the boards he was sitting on. Judging by the blatant bulge in Jeremy's jeans, he was having quite a good time as well. Jeremy pulled away so they could catch their breath. He looked into Jon's eyes. "Penny for your thoughts." "I can't tell you how happy I am that you had the courage to make the first move. I wanted more than anything to kiss you when we were leaning on the railing, and my heart told me that you felt the same way. But I chickened out." "Well, to be honest, if I hadn't dropped your beer, I think I would have chickened out, too. When we both kneeled down to pick up the bottle, I read something in your eyes that made me decide to go for it. "Boy, Jer, I'm not sure if there's such a thing as fate or destiny, but I do know one thing." He paused to pick up the empty bottle. "This is one priceless Heineken." Just then, someone unlatched the door. It flew open, and out came Richard. "Jeez, guys, I've been looking all over for you. What the heck are you doing?" he quizzed as he noticed his brother's and Jeremy's respective sitting and kneeling positions. To say that Rich had caught them a little off guard would be the understatement of the century. As they nervously looked at one another, a lightbulb suddenly flashed in Jeremy's brain. "I wanted to show your brother the fireplace, and, well, ah, as we were coming back inside, he tripped over one of the floorboards. I was just making sure he was alright." Rich rushed over. "Shit, Jon, are you OK?" "Yeah, I'm fine. My beer didn't survive, though." "Bummer! Maybe you should chill out on the alcohol for a little while and have a Coke or something," Rich suggested. Jon knew he was stone sober, but he played along under Jeremy's brilliant cover. "Yeah, maybe you're right." "I know I'm right, little brother. Now, come on. Everybody's waiting for us upstairs." After they got to their feet, they silently shared a gigantic sigh of relief. They followed Rich inside, and he hustled up the stairway. "We're right behind you!" Jon assured him. Since Rich had previously rounded up Anthony, Samantha, Lindsey, and Sarah from the rec room, everyone else was now upstairs. "Man, that was close!" Jeremy sighed. "We would've been nailed if it hadn't been for your quick thinking." "We'll have to be more careful later." Jon couldn't have been more relieved to hear those words. "Later?" he inquired sarcastically. "But of course! I haven't even given you your birthday present yet!" Jeremy noted. He winked, and a huge grin swept over his face. "Happy birthday to me!" They both cracked up. Jeremy invited Jon to go up before him. "After you, birthday boy." "No, I insist. Hot blondes first." Jeremy giggled and headed up, with his cute ass being closely admired the whole way. Jon was no fool. Don't you just love staircases? *** End of Part 2 Coming up next....After Scarlet Road's set, JJ and JT make some music of their own. I"d love to hear your comments. You can probably tell I really like to "set the scene".