I want to thank my dear friend Randy for his help as he put together the HTML, and for his support and friendship. Then to Kariina for her support in editing as well as her friendship. And, of course, my thanks to other friends and you, my loyal readers.

This is dedicated to my beloved for many reasons and we both are fans of Orlando.

Charlie

It was momma at the door again. Jonathon pretty much covered what happened, so I'm not going to re-hash it all. I will say that I didn't feel sorry for that man in the least, not one damn bit!

As for momma, that was another matter completely. When it came to her, I'd always worry some. I did feel a bit better knowing she could handle things herself if she was pushed far enough. But I didn't like the idea of her having guns stashed around her place. I could handle one, but I didn't like them in the least.

When she left, we got our shower finally. And my baby did a fair recounting of that to you. Believe me, it was as good for me as it was for him. Well, I shot twice and he shot once, so I'll have to admit it was probably better for me.

Then again, I could have sworn that Jonathon almost passed out on me. And that's no exaggeration on my part.

I was thinking it was just me, but when we kissed after our shower, my lips were starting to hurt, a lot.

Jonathon looked at me with a sheepish expression, "love, we have been kissing most every chance we get. It's bound to take a toll eventually."

We both looked like kids that had been told no more candy. It was then I noticed that Jonathon's lips seemed a bit swollen.

"Baby, I think we're going to have to cut back on the kissing some."

He looked stricken by that news.

"Jonathon, I have a feeling that my lips are getting swollen too, I know that yours look like they are," I stated.

He looked in the mirror and let out a sigh, "bloody hell, but you're right on that, Charlie. We'll both have to go to a rehab for `kiss withdrawal', it's our only hope."

I loved that smirk of his and couldn't help but chuckle, "do you think we could share a room there?"

"No! Can you see us going `cold turkey' on kissing and sharing the same room? That just wouldn't happen, love," he said with a wink.

I gave him a mock serious look, "well, I know I could easily do it. Must be that the Brits don't have the same resolve to things we do here in the States."

One of these days I'd learn to keep those thoughts to myself, even if I meant it all in fun. His fingers were into my ribs in seconds. And, no... I didn't hesitate much to give him as good as he was giving me.

We were just lucky to be in the bedroom by then and we both fell to the worn carpet on the floor. I'm glad that my neighbors weren't close enough to hear how much noise we'd been making the past few days. Not to mention our giggles and grunts at that moment.

At about the same time we both gave up on it and lay back on the floor just staring at the other. It may not seem it, but tickling in the nude is pretty erotic. And add a few extra points when you loved the man you shared it with.

Both of our chests were heaving as we tried to catch our breath. A fine sheen of perspiration covered each of us. So much for having just taken a shower.

My curiosity was getting to me, so I decided to ask, "baby, why did you get that tattoo?"

He blushed slightly, "um, which one do you mean, love?"

I'd only noticed the sunburst on his stomach. How could I have missed another one? In the past few days, I thought I'd explored most every inch of his body.

"Now I feel pretty stupid, baby... I've only noticed the one," I said.

He looked indignant as he replied, "I happen to have three. Guess you must be closing your eyes every time you're with me."

"No! How could you even think that?" I responded.

Then I saw a smirk form again, "love, the sunburst I got as a dare when on a trip to London with some mates. I was all of fifteen. All twelve of us pooled our money together, and drew straws for who got to get their tat first, and so on. My luck was second, and I decided if I was going to get something, I wanted it fairly large, but in a place no one would see often. It was supposed to be dead centre, but I'm too bloody ticklish. That's why it's off to one side."

I had to grin by the facial expressions he'd gone through relating that story to me.

"And the others?" I asked.

"One I had done, several of us from the Lord of the Rings movies went together. Each of us has it on a different place," he explained.

"Where's yours, baby?"

He turned over his right hand and I saw the strange symbols just to the inside of his wrist. How could I have missed that?

"It's in the fictionaly language of Elvish that was used for the movie. Twelve of us got tats, so that's what the symbols mean... twelve."

I smiled, "that's a pretty cool idea."

"Thanks," he replied.

"Okay... that leaves one more you haven't shown me. Where is it?" I asked.

He blushed a bit deeper this time. "It's in my pubes... I'd shaved them clean off for the tat. It was such hell when they grew back, I swore I'd never do more than a trim on them ever again!" he stated.

I leaned over and he let me inspect them for the hidden tattoo. At first I didn't see a thing. Then to the left and right above his good, I found an `A'. After a bit more looking, I found a `B' to the right of that.

"Ab?" I inquired.

"Look again, love... you're missing the first and last of it," he said.

Farther down on the left, I found another `B', but nothing more. I started at the upper `B' and worked to the right. Directly even with the first letter, was the last one, a `Y'.

I tried not to grin, "It says, `baby'?"

"Yes, love... that's what it says. I was going to go with the word `maker' above it, but it hurt like fuck as it was. No way would I do another five letters," he explained.

"No, I can't blame you at all. I can't see myself ever getting one. I'm too much of a chicken. That's why I don't have even an ear pierced," I stated.

"My wonderful Charlie, don't ever change who you are. Not for me, or for anyone," he said.

"Too late, baby. You've turned my world upside down, and I don't want it back the way it was. Not ever!"

"But that doesn't change you... the man I love so deeply," he explained.

My heart raced every time he spoke of his feelings for me, "I love you at least that much, my Jonathon."

We both yearned for a kiss right then, but reminded ourselves it wasn't a good idea.

"Okay, I suggest we get dressed. My school highly frowns on naked students," I said.

"Charlie, if they saw what you look like without any clothes, I'd bet anything they wouldn't frown," he quipped.

I fought back the blush as much as I could, but he'd zinged me anyway. He was smiling the one where his eyes crinkle up. There were so many things about him that I was fully enamoured of. But it was the man inside that had opened me up and stolen my heart. I prayed that he'd never give it back.

"So, what's our aggenda for today, love?" he asked.

"Well... I have classes," I looked at my watch, "in about an hour. Between the travel time and class time, I'll be gone about four hours today."

"Do you want me to go with you? Bloody hell, I left that disguise back in my room. That pretty well kills off that idea. But I can be a good housewife and stay home and do house things. I imagine by now there's a fair bit of laundry stacked up. Just what I brought is a couple of loads," he said with a grin.

No, I didn't want to leave him home to do menial stuff. But it did need doing, so I wasn't going to argue.

"Baby, you've done laundry before, right?" I asked.

He let out a huge sigh, "love, I wasn't always rich and famous. I moved away from home when I was sixteen. Laundry is one of the easiest things there is. Just dump in the soap and set it and forget it. And I even know how to work a clothes dryer. From time to time, I've managed a vacuum too. So I'm not a complete waste."

I felt bad as it almost seemed I didn't trust him on it. That was so damn stupid on my part.

"Charlie, I'm not upset with you about asking me such a question. There's lots of people don't know a thing about it. So, please... stop beating yourself up over it, okay?"

Aw, hell... he was getting to know me like an open book. But maybe that wasn't all bad.

"Sorry, baby. And you're right. Being right seems to be a specialty of yours most of the time," I said.

He laughed, "Charlie, you're being way too biased. Believe me, love... I can fuck things up as good or better than most anyone you've known."

"Well, that makes two of us then. I've messed up things in my life more times than I can count," I replied, then helped him from the floor. We stood and smiled into each others eyes again. It wasn't a kiss, but it would let our lips have a well needed rest.

I started to point out where things went and stopped myself. He wasn't blind, he'd figure it out easy enough.

After getting the coffee started, I took him into the small room off the back of the kitchen. There he could do the laundry that needed done, and the washer and dryer to do it with. I kept the measuring cup, detergent and dryer sheets on a shelf above.

He assured me that if he didn't get it all done, he'd get as much done as my time away would allow. I couldn't ask for more than that. With him doing the household chores, we'd have time to ourselves once I got back home.

I resisted the urge to give him a deep kiss and limited it to a peck on the cheek. We were both disappointed, so I did my best to make it up to him by hugging him tight and squeezing his buns. A bit of us both breathing into the others ears helped.

He reminded me that we both had cell phones and showed me again how to call him if I needed to. After the mess at the mall, I welcomed the relief that simple phone would provide.

As I backed out of the drive, he waved at me from the door. Damn, I wasn't even out of sight and I was missing him. But I had to realize that love worked that way. No matter if the seperation was minutes or weeks, you'd miss the person that you loved. A simple fact of life I guess.

During the several years I'd had my car, I'd rarely had any passengers with me. Momma or Gem mostly. Now, after just a few days of Jonathon being in my life, it felt empty and cold without him next to me. I'd have to learn to deal with it was all.

When I arrived at school, I still had several minutes before class started. Standing at the end of a hallway, I pulled out the small cell phone.

No, it was a silly idea. Yes, I should do it. Damn my indecision on things, to hell with it!

I dialed and waited for Jonathon to answer. It rang and rang, then went to a voice mail. I hated those things, so I ended the call.

Where could he be? Trying a second time, there was still no answer. I was sure I'd seen him put his cell phone in the front pocket of his jeans.

By the time I thought to call the house phone, my instructor was just closing the door to the classroom. The call would have to wait.

The class was boring, as they all seemed to be. I sat and watched the clock and was almost constantly thinking of Jonathon. At last it was time and we nearly fled from the room to escape from old Mr. Andrews lectures on hospitality.

Again, I tried his cell phone, and still got just the voice mail. I could picture in my head seeing him slip it into the front right pocket of those jeans. I knew damn well he did!

This time I tried the house phone. It didn't have any extras like `call waiting' on it, and when I got a busy signal, I wished to hell that I did!

I went through the next class with anxiety building up in me. He was at home, for God's sake! What could possibly go wrong? Yes, I was busy chewing my lip again, and that sure didn't help its condition at all.

And yet again, when I dialled his cell phone, no answer. I swore that if I didn't get through to him on the house phone, I was going to skip the next class and drive like a maniac to find out what was going on.

This time it rang, and rang, and rang. Just as I was about to end the call, it picked up.

"Hello?"

Something was seriously wrong with this. It was momma's voice that answered!

"Momma, what are you doing there?" I asked.

"Well, Charlie," she paused, "Jonathon called and asked me over for a talk. Nothing more, really."

`Nothing more' almost always meant she was bending the truth. Sometimes to hell and back!

"I want to talk to Jonathon, momma," I replied.

"Well, Charlie, he's kind of busy right now with the laundry," she stated.

"Momma, I want to talk to him... now!"

"You needn't shout at me like that, I'll go get him."

A few minutes passed, I was feeling more anxious with each of them.

"Hiya, Charlie, how's school today?" Jonathon asked.

Oh, no... this wasn't his style of speaking to me. Something was wrong, I had no doubt about it.

"Baby, what's happened since I left?"

"Why, um... just doing the laundry and some cleaning up, love... that's all."

Okay, he wasn't going to admit to me what it was. I'd have to see if I could trick him somehow.

"Baby, why is momma there?"

"Oh, well... she stopped by to ask me to lunch. We just got back and I'm rather full."

"That was nice of her," I commented. "And where did you two eat?"

There was a long pause before he answered.

"We went to Denny's. I insisted it be my treat because it's so bloody expensive there. We splurged and had the lobster and a nice bottle of chablis with it," he replied.

I could hear an odd tone in his voice, and it quivered. The nearest Denny's was here in Louisville. And we sure didn't have one that served lobster and wine, in addition to that, momma was allergic to shellfish.

Everything he'd just said was bullshit! My temper soared as it sank in. He was just another fucking liar in my book! And that was something I wouldn't tolerate from people. Not even him!

"Charlie?" his voice sounded so meek.

"Jonathon, I'll be home as soon as my next class is over. And we're going to have a long long talk," I said, my voice sounding flat.

"Charlie, I love you," he said, his voice catching as the words came out.

I closed the phone and just stared at it, my rage almost making me smash it to pieces.

I'd thought he was so caring, and that when he'd said those three small words to me, he'd truly meant them. But, he was just another man... another liar!

Thank you for reading!

Sincerely,
Jon Ryder