Date: Fri, 1 Aug 2014 10:14:11 -0400 From: TCHASE MCPHEE Subject: FiRE iSLAND BiKiNiS ~ ?MAkiNG WaRRioRs? 12 The story below is a work of fiction, set in the format of reality. Any resemblances to real people, alive or in the hereafter, is entirely coincidental in nature. It is not meant to accurately reflect upon persons, of continents or islands, in countries, counties, cities, towns, villages, neighborhoods, streets, cul-de-sacs, nor governmental or non-governmental areas, which the story is staged. If a sexual scene involving male-to-male relationships offends you, then why are you here? Seriously, if guy-to-guy sex stuff makes you barf or is going to screw up your mind, you should not read this story. Various states and countries have various rules regarding reading or viewing `adult material'. It is up to the reader to research this subject, abiding by their own laws. The pages of this story contain `adult material', intended for an `adult audience'. Bypass this warning at your own risk. % Sexual safety matters. Remember guys, this is fiction. In real life, use protection. Hey dudes, if you have enjoyed reading NiFTy stories as much as I have, over the years, consider adding some support for `internet $pace'. http://donate.nifty.org/donate.html ^o^ Concluding remarks ~ reading this story could make you stiff or gooey, so I would suggest not reading it at work... just sayin'! :) % FiRE iSLAND BiKiNiS ~ `MAkiNG WaRRioRs' 12 WriTten by T. Chase McPhee ^o^ % In one short week, Jared's unintended fame seemed to rise, Oz mentioning, "Let me guess, some surfer boys from Warrior One?" "Nice having celebrity status," Jared gloats, on their evening walk back to Korbeau's. "You should really try it sometime, Oz?" "Didn't Joseph see to it, tonight?" As if he did something wrong, Jared replies, "How would I know Joseph would pick tonight to get even and send Karl in there to work you over?" Knowing Jared and Jay's setup, pranking Joseph, Oz laughs it off, "Yeah, what a sweet man!" "If I had only known how hard it would make you," Jared, without regard, putts the back of his hand against Oz's golf balls. "Well," Oz looks to Jared, the side of his face, waiting for reaction to, "no offense, but I think part of it was `Karl'?" "What!" Jared stops dead in his tracks, in a double-scam. "Part? Well, I'm thinking 1/3?" Talking about `hard', Jared compares his mighty sword to the gladiator in Karl, "How about 1/8?" In reality, it wasn't all about himself, back in the dungeon, hanging there, naked, on the x-frame, Oz also checking out the competition. They all knew no one could outdo Joseph, long as a broomstick, wide as a drainpipe, Oz figuring Jared having a little gain on Karl. The boys on the floor, well, it was too dark to notice, Oz's head near the ceiling, but there was some heavy sucking action going on... "Okay," Jared waits for Oz's reaction and not receiving it, Oz too deep into his own thoughts, "1/4 of an inch and that's as far as I'll bend!" "Another thing you should know, now that we're into sharing," Oz picks his words with caution, "I, um, sometimes can get a kick out of slipping inside, if you know what I mean?" Lifting his chin and laughing, Jared says, "Why don't you just spell it out, Oz, how you enjoy anal as much as oral?" "Well, I wasn't thinking it so mildly?" Grabbing Oz around the neck, putting him in a wrestler hold, Jared does what he hasn't performed in years, a noogie, like he used to play around with Jay, breaking his hold, "Like, I haven't done `that' for a while!" Very strangely, this new theme to their conversation, drew Jared into speaking about the sensitive subject of him and Jay getting it on, concluding with, "So you see, it was more a learning experience, than the actual thing?" Jared waits for reaction, leaning on a wooden fence, hands braced for the repercussions. "I'm under the impression, how you chose to go about unloading this on me, you were afraid I was going to turn around and hightail it out of here?" Oz questions. "You still have time to dash?" Jared smiles. "You're not scaring me off. So what does that tell you, as Jay would say, `moron'?" Oz laughs. "Well, you surely are not taking this so hard." "Hard? What are you suggesting, Jared?" "Okay, so you're horny. I kind of am too." Oz offers, "So, why don't we pretend we're joggers?" Jared got the message, Oz making like a jogger, fists pumping, feet galloping. Ready to pound the pavement, he's held back, "Hey, where are you two off to?" "Dammit, Joseph, you can't go scaring a guy in the dark like that, no less at 2am in the morning?" Joseph knew his best bud didn't half mean it, joking, "Oh, did I go and make you lose your erection?" There weren't many men Jared would tolerate, slipping a hand down between his legs, saying, "Not too much or you'll chance getting wet?" Cocking one eye, Joseph says, "Isn't it great, even with boardshorts, how at night, you can't see stuff like that?" However, it wasn't Joseph which Jared had meant to lose his juice over, brushing the hand away, "You can come and watch if you want to?" He knew it would put a downer in Joseph's attitude, which proved correct, Joseph making a fake yawn, "Nah, those boys at the club really tired me out," he walks away in the direction he came from, Joseph leaving with, "I'll buzz you tomorrow." Having kept his distance, Oz could overhear, not a soul but the three of them on the walkway, "Coming, loverboy?" This time Jared didn't hang back, sped up, but kept on Oz's heels all the way back to Korbeau's. He could not keep from sightseeing, Oz's melons rotating back and forth! The next morning, Jay woke up in a fog, but quickly took tally of how many arms were in front of him. Also, when he went to sleep, he lay on his back. So, he knew there were three arms, his two, plus the hairy forearm hanging over the side. Lying on his side, he couldn't do alone, a force had to be holding him in place and try as compelled to do, to feel that scratching moss on his back, Jay could not. Next, he tried turning his head to the right, to gaze over his shoulder. Didn't pan out, so squeezed eyes in their sockets. Nothing. Next thing on his improvised list, was the jab. This worked, elbow poking Dirk in the armpit, which at least made the cub move, casting him over onto his back. He could use his arms, which came in mighty handy, or else the ultimatum, tossed out of bed, Jay pushed with all his might on the mattress with left elbow. More than doing the trick, he falls right over onto Dirk. When he flipped, Dirk had woken into a groggy stupor, recalling how he got into bed with another dude. More adjusted to the morning light trickling through the blinds, coupled with Jay's back landing half on himself, he says, "Hey, watch the hands!" He couldn't recall too much of when they went to bed, but realized they were both in the buff, Jay saying, "Oh, you mean this hand?" he plays with Dirk's nice-sized, but limpid cock. "Keep going. You'll get a reaction out of me!" Jay didn't let up. Dirk added some of his own ammunition, reaching to a side table, opening the draw and taking out a clear tube. "Wow, you did that without looking," Jay says. "You must have had plenty of practice?" "Right," Dirk replies, squeezing a little out on the palm of Jay's hand, "doing solo jerkoffs!" This led to a little conversation, regarding Dirk's minimal love life, until things kicked up to where talking didn't fit in, only animal sounds! "Your turn!" Dirk slides out, knowing he left goo plastered to one of Jay's ass cheeks. "Don't waste your time," Jay says. "I like wasting time," Dirk gets up. Jay, flat on his back, "Remember what I said." "And remember what I told you, after you said it?" "I know what you said about physical therapy, being more than the arms, legs and back," Jay lectures. Jay couldn't feel, but seeing Dirk handle his goods like an urologist, "Whatever turns you on." "Can you at least think outside the box? Be positive?" "I'm not going to feel anything." Cocking his head to the side, Dirk says, "No, you're supposed to say, I feel something, I'm getting hard, I'm..." "I'm not," Jay tells him. He had taken to massaging Jay's balls, stroking Jay's cock, trying to get Jay beyond the negative, giving in, "Well, maybe next time," he drops Jay's jewels and brushes hands off. "Ready to get ready?" However, right now, Jay had worked himself into a negative funk, "Am I ever going to... you know?" Dirk knew he went over the same subject, whether or not Jay would ever fuck again, but treated it like it's first he's heard of it, "It's something neither you, nor me will know until that time comes." Smartly, he veers off course, "What would you like for breakfast?" "You?" Jay says. "Which part of me?" Both knew, Dirk had already come, Jay saying, "Can I shower first?" `I' became `we' and the two headed off to the bath tub. It was something Jay could not handle on his own, but knew, if Evan could do it, so could he, eventually. Thinking it, made Jay remark, "I wonder what Ev and Randy did last night?" "Now there's something to talk about on your lunch hour?" It's one of the things Jay got rightfully busted on yesterday, too many times talking to Evan, while either he or his friend were in the middle of their therapy. For Evan, it wasn't much of a bother, but for Jay, Dirk claimed it broke up his concentration. Recalling losing a hand grip on a ring, Jay says, "I promise to pay more attention today." "Just keep your eyes on me," Dirk instructs him. "My eyes `are' on you!" A smirk on Dirk's face, water droplets collecting in his beard, he says, "I mean at the gym!" "Why?" Jay smiles, reaching forward, touching all those wet hair follicles. There was a little bench in tub while Jay showered, but no place for seatbelts, Dirk's hands taking up the slack, "May I remind you, as much as I love having your hands all over me, we have exactly a half hour to finish this shower, eat breakfast and get over to Warrior One?" "Don't forget the cum you got on my ass!" Jay laughs. "I got on your ass?" Dirk differs. "I'm not the one who decided to lay down on me?" "Like I had a choice?" Jay replies. "Clawing the sheets would have taken you in the other direction?" "Right. And then you would be picking up the pieces off the floor!" Dirk says, "Hmm, might have provided some of the cure." "Hey, I ain't no humpty dumpty!" "Hump, hmm, very suggestive!" Dirk laughs. Even though Jay had hopes, he had reservations about changing `professions', working on a guy as a bottom, sucking cock, firming him up for the ultimate orgasm, plugging ass and, a little less cheery, asks, as Dirk helps him out of the tub, "Do you think there's a chance, even if a slight one?" Rather than commit, Dirks says, "Anything is possible, but we have to work hard, every single day." "Wait!" "What? Do you feel something?" Dirk freezes, hands on towel placed around the small barrel of Jay's stomach. He looks down, in case a miracle has occurred, which would show a tent, then focuses on Jay. Sidetracked, Jay says, "No, I don't heal that fast. You said every day, like isn't Warrior One only open during the week?" On one knee, smiling at Jay in his chair, Dirk says, "Yeah, but they have this new program, `trainer take out'?" It then happens, something Jay had been thinking since he and Dirk have been together, beyond the job, "Why do you want to, like, be with me? I mean, you're like, so good looking..." "Oh, thank you," Dirk quips, blowing on his fingernails, like freshly polished, rubbing them on the fibers of his chest. "Get down off your throne, Matilda!" Looking at Jay, like he had a third eye, "Huh? Exactly what does that mean?" "Frankly, I don't know. Our mom used to say that, after we started to get rich, she accused dad of wanting a big house, 5-car garage, with a couple BMW's, a mercedes and a rolls royce. When Jare mentioned a motorcycle, even though we were dudes, mom reduced us to Matilda's." That was another reason, unsaid right now, Dirk kneeling there like a knight receiving a kings blessing, taking in the beautiful face. Dirk already knew all the other attributes, slim build, which he already assessed needed building up. Just the way Jay acted, he reminded Dirk of how his own mother could be, "Matilda. Yeah, I get it. I'll try to watch myself." Like Jay, and to a degree Jared, Dirk was always conservative, agreeing, "Same as my dad. His phrase to learn from, was, `There's only so many times you can go to the bank, before the bank runs dry!' He got tired of hearing Matilda too!" "So, did the bank ever start to dry up?" "No, but if you don't get `dry' and `up', we'll never get to Warrior One." "I know," Jay says, "but I wish we could just sit and get to know each other," still testing, because he wasn't like the other human population, being able to walk and function as usual, "that is, if you really want to get to know me?" Dirk didn't need to answer, instead, "What the hell was that?" >From the kitchen they heard pots and pans banging, loud talk, "I didn't even hear Adam and Scott come in last night." "I know," Dirk says. To have Jay acknowledge how much he cares, "I heard them come in, in the wee hours of the morning. You were dead to the world, but I felt a shiver and that's when I decided to use you for a blanket!" They smiled, until hearing a knock on the door, Adam's voice, "Scott said to tell you, get your buns out of there in 5 minutes or else we're eating your scrambled eggs!" "Eggs?" Dirk chuckles, "Forget the eggs. I just need a caffeine rush!" Jay slows him, "Okay, but before you do, if you feel up to it, can you dry under the strap?" Jay loved this part, Dirk standing behind the chair, loosening the restraining strap across his chest, holding him back, which made his facial scruff graze his own cheeks and the tingly sensation of chest fibers on the back of his neck. An added plus was just the sensation of the hands on approach. "Last call," Scott's voice makes the last call! At the breakfast table, they had all of 5 minutes to chat, which revolved around what every one was doing for the weekend. It being Friday, Adam, who had the day off, says, "I swapped schedules with a co-worker, so I can go with Scott to his interview." "The whole weekend?" Dirk wonders. Killing off 2 minutes, Scott jumps in on the conversation, telling of his modeling interview, with a chap named Derric McSeain. "McSeain?" Jay questions. "Where do I know that name?" Lo and behold, before Jay can get feedback, his cell phone rings, "Saved by the bell!" Listening in, first word out of Jay's mouth, exclaims, "Alex!" Alex had reintroduced himself, Alex Nouguet, asking Jay if he remembered him from Korbeau's dining room. "Of course I remember," and like they were old friends, "what's up, Alex?" As the conversation went on, Dirk started pointing to the clock above the sink. It was kind of interesting to him, thinking he would soon be wearing the hat of `nursemaid', but surprised when Adam and Scott started cleaning up. Gist of Jay's conversation with Alex was, if Jay could get away today, he could bring his brother and two guests, for a party at Cayman Karlyle's mansion, ongoing the whole weekend, with return on Tuesday. "Oh really?" Dirk's eyes lit up. "I don't know how that's going to go over with your brother, but..." Jay cuts him off, "He's invited too. That should help!" Dirk knew it would be a shame to cancel out, Jay the happiest he's seen him, since they met, except when he told Jay it was a possibility he might be able to get the pump working, quickly thought up, "However, the beauty of `us', if you go away for the weekend, I have no one to train!" Excited, Jay's manner dipping to disappoint, rising up out of the ashes, a bright smile on his face, "You're a genius, Dirk!" "That is, if your brother okays it?" "Here," Jay pushes his cell phone across the table, "you're the genius. You make the call!" Sitting there at the kitchen table, Jay had wished Dirk had waited till they were almost out the door to put on his `Warrior One' tee shirt. He had contrary thoughts to whether Dirk looked awesomely awesome wet or dry, thinking, either way, the whole front of his hairy bod was, `awesome!' Last minute of the call, Dirk is giving Jay the thumbs up, which stirred Jay on, fist going in the air, "Awesome!" Hanging up, Jay impetuously asks, "What'd he say-what'd he say?" "First, Jared accused you of being a coward," Dirk waited. "I know," Jay laments. "Next, he said to tell you he isn't your father." Not getting it, or getting it, but still with brain lag, Jay asks, "So, tell me, is he letting me go?" Dirk just shook his head back and forth, but didn't blame Jay. As he understood the brotherly relationship, it was very much like this, Jared the authority figure, which could have disintegrated, had Jay not had the accident. This was something he was going to work on with Jay, teach him to be more independent, "Of course. You said I had a way with words!" Jay does remember saying that, just not when, responding, "Cool! Let's pack!" "One more thing." "Huh?" "Jared said he couldn't go. Oz has to work at Warrior One today and tomorrow and your brother needs to be at J&J for a camping promotional fair." "Boo-oooo!" Jay says, quickly recuperating, "We gotta get ready. Oh my god, just realized something!" "What?" "Literally, I haven't got a thing to wear!" Dirk laughs his ass off, "Alex said to pack light. Very light. He said a few speedos, a couple of tee shirts and a hoodie is all you're going to need." Suddenly, Jay's attitude dips. Along with him, Dirk asks, "What's wrong sweetheart?" First hearing it, yet still wearing a frown, Jay says, "You just called me sweetheart." "Oh, I'm sorry," Dirk says sincerely. "No, that's okay. I just wish I didn't have this wheelchair to drag along with me. Everyone's gonna be looking at me." Cheering up, Dirk says, "Of course they are. They're all going to think you're one of the models!" Jay manages a smile, "Yeah, right," Jay sulks, "they don't have crippled models!" "Wish I had my cell phone. I'd show you just how pathetic you sound?" "Sorry," Jay realizes. Dirk sympathizes, "I could carry you around on my back all weekend?" Knowing he was the victim of being cheered up, Jay says, of his pubes bouncing off another human, "Hmm, maybe it'll start working!" Back to being cheerful, Dirk said they had till noontime, "Alex and his limo will be waiting for us on the other side of the ferry." "Wow," Jay says, "I just thought, I haven't been off the island since my accident." "Great, but we have to get moving, because I'm out of suntan lotion and I think you need those few items I mentioned?" "Oh, I just remembered something," Jay snaps a finger. "What?" "McSeaign, that's the architect who designed both J&J stores and... oh wait a minute! We can't go?" Jay exclaims. "Why not?" "Who's gonna mind my store?" "Your `father' to the rescue, Jared says you don't need to worry. He's got you covered until Wednesday," Dirk assures, a hand placed on top of Jay's 5 digits. "Wednesday? Alex, he says Monday is sobering up day and we leave Tuesday to go back." "I can't drink alcohol," Jay informs. "I know, but don't worry. I'll refrain from drinking, so I can be responsible for you." "You don't have to," Jay says. "I want to. Don't want you wheeling out sight to a harem of models!" "Probably wouldn't do much for me," Jay says, sadly. "Might be just the medicine you need!" Adam and Scott had missed out on the conversation, hurrying off, the two having ideas of their own about shopping. They had decided on no better place than Jay's Surf Shop. However, they were two early, so headed on over to Kermit's Nook for some latte. Advantage to being an owner of the store, Jay and Dirk were able to slip in the back door, the interim security manager letting them in. Karl's hand was already placed in Dirk's, him asking Jay, "And who might this be?" After Jay introduces Dirk, by way of therapeutical counselor at Warrior One, they head out of the stockroom and onto the salesfloor. Jay is overwhelmed, "Wow, I can't believe how this place looked like a zoo and now it's all cleaned up!" With Dirk behind him, leaning on a post, Karl says, "That's because you hired good sales people!" Karl thought he heard something behind him, but didn't turn around. "Really? I'm glad I'm a success at something!" Dirk's success at making Karl turn around fizzled out two times, each time upping the volume, "Grr-r-r!" This time Karl heard it, whisking his head around like a turntable, "Huh?" "What?" Dirk shrugs his shoulders. Karl smirks, saying, "Jay, I think your boyfriend is a prankster!" He knew, Jay hearing Dirk `pranking', saying, "Get over here, prankster and help me try on this speedo!" "Aye-aye, sir!" Dirk salutes. Passing by Karl, Dirk nudges him on the shoulder, which causes Karl to cast upon him, "Nervy one, too!" Anyone, no one in particular, Jay loved saying it, "Get over it," then nonchalantly went on with his business. For Karl, his business right now was twitching like crazy. Thinking of only last night, Oz up on the x-frame, Jared sweetly playing with his boy's nips. Right now Karl had the strange desire to be Dirk's `boy', trussed up, with no control of the situation, should his master come up between his legs and... "Karl!" "What?" he calls out, as loud as Jay did to get his attention. "Do you think I look good in this?" Right then and there, Karl knew he better pay attention! During business hours, he, nor his staff would lose a second of time, summing up the actions of anyone entering the store. If a person did what Jay just did, swapped out boardshorts for a speedo, it would a small infraction, with big consequences, possibly banishment for the rest of the summer! "Oh," Karl says, "great. You look good," he tried hiding feelings. However, the third person took on another approach, summing up the situation from not too far away, seeing Karl with hips slightly back. Dirk knew, because he's done it himself in order to hide his cock, expanding when he didn't intend on it doing so. He inhaled, like taking Karl up his nostrils, thinking on how he would like to get the older man out of that black uniform and into his bed. Then he snapped out of it, thinking there already was a man in his life. "Or, do you think the orange, over the blue?" "Nah, blue." Meant to flatter, Karl says, "A dark color will draw less attention to what you're trying to cover up. Unless, you need to show it off?" he laughs. "Oh," Jay says solemnly, knowing he couldn't get it up, therefore no problem with showing anything off. Dirk, meant to mock, says, "Now that was just plain cruel, Karl!" "What? Wha'di-I-say?" Two things came to Dirk's mind. One, `black' was a good color for Karl. He didn't need any help showing anything off. Numero dos, the truth, "Um, like, the package is a sensitive subject around people like Jay?" "Oh!" Karl exclaims, "I'm so, so sorry," he winds up holding the two arms of the wheelchair, bod on an angle, much like a lover asking forgiveness. Since it was pre-opening hours, which Jay liked and didn't like, favorable to leisurely rolling about, without a toe to run over, but missing out on all the hot surfer boys, right now, Karl a foot from his face and peering down the shirt, which in a half hour will be closed up around the collar, necktie keeping it snug, Jay uses this opportunity to use Karl's lassoed neck, tugging on each part of the untied tie, "No problem," he pulls on both! Dirk laughed his fat ass off, "Good one, Jay!" claps both hands together, making the postlude to a streak of lightning. Backing up in surprise, Karl stands there, slightly stunned. Of course, it would not be the first time, in his line of work, a dude didn't try to kiss his infraction away, but he never was out-snagged by a handicapped dude, of which he says, "Wow! That was some kiss!" Dirk, a little jealous, says, "I should've come up right behind you and `smacked' you in the ass!" Jay loved the theatrics which follows... "Oh really?" Karl sashays his way over to Dirk, who is casually leaning on a beach umbrella rack. "Well," he leans, one hand on hip, "I can't say I wouldn't do the same, given I was in your shoes!" Jay knew they wanted to get it on, telltale signs explaining the whys and what for, but resigning themselves to looking and not touching. He broke the bond of staring, "Um, I thought we came to shop?" Roundabout The Spin Club, Karl very much fit the description and position of Joseph. Only, Joseph was one notch higher on the totem pole of desirable masters. Karl, he had no problem fitting a little-too-big or long dildo or buttplug in a guy's wanting mancave, or apply clips on nips or balls, nor did he have a problem turning a back, chest, stomach, ass from white to crimson, but he didn't have those acting skills, which brought him down to numero dos on the scale. Still, second was better than less, because he still got the hot dudes coming to lust after him. Unknown to anyone, except himself and Joseph, the two have gotten it on, but not at The Spin Club. At a gay resort in Ft. Lauderdale, Karl and Joseph happened to meet, taking their relationship from unknown, to knowing they had something between them, which could excite their souls, along with other human parts. It was on this chance meeting the two became good friends, though it started out rocky, each top trying to outdo the other, until the two Alpha males, one subdued the other. Being Joseph only had a few gadgets in his suitcase, leaving his duffle bag at home, after he tied Karl down to the bed eagle-spread, he was a real gentleman. Forgetting to agree on safewords, Karl at the time, was not really into the s&m scene, to know the wiser. Joseph, wrapped up in the beauty of Karl's hairy bod, big, flaccid cock, which he did decide to trim down the bush a little, was very gentle, calm, used only enough force to let Karl know who was boss. Now, with reminder, he was cherishing that event in his life, reliving it over in his mind, except the image of Joseph, transformed into Dirk... "Hey!" Dirk slaps Karl on the shoulder, "Are you with us here, or off in some other dimension, sweetheart!" This time it was Jay laughing out loud, "Come 5-me!" Jay couldn't stand, run over to the umbrella rack, where Karl leaned on a shelf of neatly prepared shirts, so he beckoned a person to come to him. Slapping his five digits up against Jay's, Dirk asks him, "Is your security manager always this alert?" Down at The Spin Club, Karl followed Joseph's lead, not allowing anyone to take up the cap of `boss'. Regardless, right now, the slap-in-the-ass, figuratively, he was standing their motionless, except to form words, trying desperately to move his hips back. Recourse, to talk it out of his system, Karl replies, "The store's not open yet," was the best he could do. Dirk, with the perfect reply, could have been, `You better open that fly and vent', let it go, thinking the store had to open soon, the surfboard clock on the walling saying so. Instead, he flaunted to commercial use, "What I could do to you!" In good cheer over this, Jay says, "Can I watch?" A little bit of everything, before he met Joseph in Florida, remolded into a mighty master, his calling, 20 years ago, in the second decade of his life, he now relaxed. Again, straddling that wheelchair with his hands, Karl could very well mean this for Dirk, says to Jay, "Oh what I wouldn't let you do to me!" Inhaling, exhaling, Dirk had very much the same thought, but for Karl's naked ass! Shopping, having found 1 speedo in a half hour, Jay would have no choice but to shop with his public. It broke off that sweet moment, Karl facetiously giving himself away to Jay, "I'll get that," when someone taps their key on the window. First to arrive was the assistant manager, Gail and her girlfriend, Stacy, both 26 and career minded. Very first on the scene of store opening, it was their job to fill the two cash draws. Like clockwork, Gail was happy to have Stacy in her life, "Um, what was the combination on the safe again?" Stacy mentions to the three, rolling her eyes, taking her other half by the arm, "Come, girl!" Following protocol, after they disappear in the back room, Jay asks, "Is Stacy supposed to know the combination to the staff? I thought only assistant..." Karl cuts him off, smirking, waving a hand like swatting a fly, "Forget them two. They're a bunch of kooks!" "I have kooks working for me? When was I going to be told?" Jay clamors. "I just did!" Dirk had `gone shopping'. "Really, Karl? Is that okay?" Jay was baffled as to such business practices. "Aren't we all," Karl says. "Uh, the door," he has to tear himself away. Jay smiles, Karl turning back with seductive glances. Sitting there, next to the checkout counter, Jay plays with the carousel keychain rack. Seeing a surfboard, real wood and emblazoned with some stripes, he plucks it off, allowing it to dangle before his eyes. Coming out from the back, Jay notices Stacy's hair a little disheveled, when she says, "Oh look, Gail, the owner is shoplifting again!" Nasty, but nicely, Jay turns on her, "I own the store, which means I already own it!" Proving his point, Jay rips the tag off and gets busy attaching it to the lanyard his keys hang on. While the girls set up shop behind the counter, Karl stays by the door, admitting employees. Jay has never seen David Frish, without Johnny Lis. The two 19-year old `lovers' arrive and leave together. He remembers the first day, how sad they were they had to work overlapping shifts. Figuring, which Jay figured right, he would make good friends, changed it up so the teen lovers could have time off together. It was like he was hiding on them, behind the counter, ready to spring upon them, David grabbing his chest with his palm, "Boss! You scared the dickens out of me!" Jay laughs, clapping his hands, setting the scene, "Well, now there's one less thing to carry around all day." David turns to Johnny, slaps him in the bread basket with the back of his hand, "That's supposed to be funny, bro... laugh!" "Oh. Yeah," Johnny replies, slow, dribbled, "funny," he forces a laugh. David covered for him, saying they had to change into their sales people clothing. Very courteous, kind and mannerly, both disappeared behind a fitting room door. How Jay wished he could be a fly on the wall, only because security cameras were not allowed in dressing rooms! "Jay, how's it going?" Jay loved this time of day, being greeted by all the hot employees. His plight, being in a wheelchair did not necessarily have to be all that cumbersome, the ability to stare up at a man, taking in the whole figure, singling out a spot. Jay found he could make excuse, a stiff neck, silent reason for staring at a guy's crotch, as he did now. Ironman, Kerwin Jens, upon greeting Jay, reminds, "Only 1 more day and Jared is shipping me over to Warrior One!" "And then you don't have to bother with me," Jay laments, not greeting the ultra physical man, whom he caught once changing his shirt in the back of the store, laying it out across on top of a fixture. "Oh, since when did you stop going to Warrior One. I saw you there yesterday, you know?" "When?" Jay doesn't recall seeing him. "I popped in," Kerwin changes his tune, "but was snagged at the door and told to walk through the alley and come in the back door! Wet feet?" he smiles. Giggling, not because of Kerwin, but knowing personally, the Warrior One `bouncer', "You're not the only one. Sean was bouncing people out of the gym left and right yesterday!" Because they didn't work the same facility, Kerwin hadn't a clue, wanted to share something else, but kept it formal, "That's the lad's name, is it?" Even though he never met Kerwin until the interview for the job, which he knew was a set up, his brother wanting to make it look like he was a store manager in control hiring and firing, Jay had a feeling about Kerwin's sexual orientation, which is why he had a sense of things right now, feeling comfortable to inform, in a sly way of course, "How do feel about dating people," didn't propose it in a `gay' manner, on purpose, "half your age?" Doing the math, Kerwin exclaims, "Sean is 16?" "Oops!" Jay goofed, thinking Kerwin a little older. Put on the spot, Kerwin removes the soiled opinion, "Doesn't matter." Unintentionally, Kerwin slips, "I like younger guys." Because Kerwin was distant from Jay, he couldn't fine tune his eyesight, but made out the physical features, building on it, "Sean has a sixpack too, but is not an expert surfer, as I've heard. In fact, I don't even know if he knows which end of the board is up!" Kerwin loved the lead in, saying, "Well, we'll have to get him out there and up on a wave! Look, I better hustle." >From his drawstring bag, as the morning before and the morning before, Jay watches Kerwin hustle. Calling it a magical act, he watches the shirt come out of the bag, the shirt coming off Kerwin's muscled back as if he had 4 hands. "Good morning, `boss'!" Winson sweeps right by Jay, which was a damn shame. Everyone he noticed in the few days past opening, have shone up to work in other clothes. He suspects humidity might have a hand in turning an ordinary gray shirt moist from midchest to navel and at the pits. Sweeping right by him, not only could he make out his Indian employees cocoa skin, striped down the middle, but a whiff, which he hoped was mopped up before the shirt went on. Then, thought it a devilish idea to have his human resources manager call Winson into his presence, be the one to tell his stinky employee he had to shower more or wear stinkier underarm protection! Jay choked, Mark Coolidge standing right there, in front of him and because of his kinky, lewd thought, Jay felt guilty when Mark asks, "Hey, what's up? Did you hear today is my last day?" "Um, maybe Jare told me," Jay fudged his way past his thoughts. "What's that?" Mark, the only one to show up semi-formal, nice canvas pants, Bonobo's, a cool blue golf shirt, attache case, making him look official, he glances down. "What's what?" Jay asks, trying to look in front of himself, to the floor, but can't, restrained by a chest strap. Not thinking, except of his weekend fling with his lover, Tom Gerardi, Mark goes about his business, "Nothing. Just thought I saw something." Voice trailing, "I guess you're just nervous." It didn't seem to make sense to Jay, so he just let the thought go slack. Then, raining over his head came a tumble of clothing, Dirk's voice explaining, "I picked these out for you, but you don't have to like them all." "Thanks," Jay says, like he's pissed, "I've always wanted to wear a speedo on my head!" he looks up. "I think it looks `you'!" Dirk giggles, rearranging the skinny fabric. Pulling it off, Jay chucks it up in the air, "Do I get to pick out your clothes?" Catching it, Dirk tells him, "No problem. I've duplicated everything." "I though it looked like a lot. I mean, Alex said to think about dressing light." Dirk, still flighty overhead, says, "I don't think that's what Alex meant!" "I know what he meant!" According to Dirk's feelings, Jay didn't seem himself right now, "Is everything all right with you?" Knowing exactly what it was, not having to go through physical and mental therapy after his accident without a better outcome, Jay says, "I'm scared about leaving my comfort zone." Coming around the side of Jay's chair, squatting, Dirk takes Jay's hand, tenderly says, "I'll be right there beside you, sweetheart?" He makes Jay smile, "I know, but I wish there were more people I knew there." "You know Alex?" "I met him once," Jay tried not being on the offense, just stated the truth. Siding with Jay, he says, "If you don't want to go, no one is making you." "You don't know Jare." "No, not like you know." Even though not provoked, Jay tells him, "It willl happen just like it's happened before, but instead of him, it will be you I beat myself up in front of, saying I should've gone." "Well," Dirk advises, "if you want my opinion, I think you should go, but I would do something about your feelings." "What's that?" A solution, Dirk says, "Why don't you give Alex a call, tell him your reservations and I'm sure, he could twist his little finger and make it possible for Karl to come along?" "Karl? Why Karl?" Jay asks. "Because we both think he's hot and he can be with you when I go for a leak and vice versa?" Dirk says, ending with a grin! "I like that idea," Jay's attitude takes a leap. "And this way, when I'm sleeping, you and he can go play!" "That's not going to happen!" Sobering up from his excitement, Jay says, "But it might and I would not slight you for it. After all, my plumbing is at a standstill and I'm not going to let you suffer your life, with solo jerkoffs!" Every man having done it, knowing what a hand wrapped around a hard shaft and rubbing in the emotional fervor can cause, "I dunno, I've had some intense eruptions!" If he wanted, Jay could let his mind wander into the imaginary zone, picture Dirk's lava flowing, but stuck to the subject, "You don't have to be nice about it. Like you said, Karl's a hot man. We both know it. Besides, if Karl goes along, are you going to let `our man' be stolen away by a castle full of hot models?" "Well, now that you put it `that' way," Dirk acts dramatical. It becomes field day for Jay, speed-dialing Alex, a regular in his cell phone index, explaining how he would like to have a friend along. Dirk ran back, to neatly hang up the `bungi cord' he picked out to wrap around his bum and loins, which he knew Jay didn't say, but disapproved of, thinking he had picked it out for his sweetheart. "Were you thinking of that for yourself, or Jay?" Winson sets his head on his hands, placed leisurely along the top of the opposite rack. On to Winson and his ways, Dirk, who only wants to get along, not get involved, simply says, "Thanks, but I'm not interested!" smiles. "Okay, just thought I'd check," Winson goes about his business. Though, Dirk had his reservations, thinking the Indian so cute, the way he brushed off the flirt and went along on his way. "Jare!" Jay spots his brother, coming in the front doors. Karl set about keeping the doors open. Soon as one was propped open, Karl `slits his throat', a signal to mean he was killing that idea, giving in to air conditioning. Though he minded store business, Karl did notice the dude accompanying Jared, saying, "Playing some basketball today, Jared?" The dude with Jared didn't say anything, pretending not to hear, but was attuned to the comment, thinking he would like to play some `ball' alright, right in Karl's court! "Who's this?" Jay had to look extra-specially up, the dude with Jared looking as tall as the Empire State Building! "You don't recognize him?" Jared asks. Karl, who had made his way over by the register, pretending to tidy up the counter, wondered too. "Nope." Meeting a guy regularly, like the occasional trick, more frequently, you get to know length and width, but a face in the crowd, seeing once, Jay says, "I think," though he hadn't a clue really. Breaking out of his clammed up, professional demeanor, the 6'5 man bends over, saying, "We met once, at Korbeau's, my former employer, but it is okay if you do not recognize me. It is good to see you again, sir. I am Jojo Manu." With that, Jared leaves the two alone, finding Karl's ear. Guessing, already enthralled by the looks, accompanied by a toothy white smile, shining out awesomely against the cocoa skin, Jay had to ask, "Are you from Hawaii?" "Not far," he didn't want to offend Jay. "Ever hear of New Zealand?" Joking, Jay, caught up in the mystique, replies, "No. Yes. Of course. Hasn't everyone?" With a little accent, the tall man straightens up into a towering figure, "I see I'm going to have to watch out for you, sir." For the second time he caught it, the `sir', thinking of his age vs. Jojo, asking, "Um, am I supposed to know why you are here?" A lead in to his purpose, Jojo reveals, "Um," his cool, calm, collective manner gives way to nervousness, "I..." Wishful thinking, Jay says, "You're the new model for speedos?" Liking the flirt, being kind, Jojo flirted back, "Do I get to model for you?" Slapping the rail of his chair, Jay declares, "Any time. How about right now?" "How about right now, what?" Dirk appears, staring Jojo up and down and up. Looking up, Jay asks, "How long have you been standing there?" "It's a small place. Voices carry," Dirk replies. "Who's your new model?" Only able to introduce Jojo to Dirk, Jared returning, sets about to give reasons why, even though Jay is really the store manager, they needed a person to run the place when Jay wasn't there, "Like when you're at Warrior One, which will be 5 days a week and on the weekends," he looks up, spots Dirk, "you'll be with your `trainer', I thought we needed someone here a little more often." "Oh," Jay acts glum, but a front to his real joy, of not having to learn all about running a store, lightens up, "Oh well, I can't be two places at once, can I!" It was probably Jared's place to say so, but on bended knee, Jojo says, "Thank you for being so understanding, sir." Wanting to break forth in a sexy response, like, `Get up off your knees... you can give me a blowjob later', but heeded warnings from his brother, about saying stuff like that in public, especially in the store... his store, "No problem. If Jare thinks you're good for the job," he stops, looks at his brother, "but what about Gail?" Taking over, Jared says, "Gail likes being assistant and has no intentions, at this time, of wanting to climb the corporate ladder." Breaking the ice, a lull in the scene, Jay says, "By the way, I gave Alex a call and asked if a certain someone could come with us to the Karlyle mansion and he said bring any friends I wanted to." He was looking at Jared, which he replies, "I'd like to, but have to be at the flagship store soon." "Sorry, I didn't mean you, bro," Jay turns towards, "Karl?" "Me? In case you haven't heard," Karl stutters, staring Jared in the face, "your brother has taken our security man away!" "Terror?!" Jay blurts out. "How could you Jare? What did he do?" Jay fears something amiss about his good friend. "Nothing. I just feel he is too valuable at the store, when we could use him at Warrior One. In case you haven't heard, Jesse is having some discipline problems and..." Regardless of what everyone was thinking, for Jojo, he was thinking along the line of a dude, bent over a table, speedo pulled down and using a nice, raw cane on the ass! "Oh," Jay replies lowly, but then perking up, "I think you made the right choice. Terror, he's like that. If he can't whip those wiseasses into shape, no one can!" Jojo only thought, they didn't know him, so could not revise their judgements! "In fact," Jared turns, walks towards the front doors, "I think his replacement is about to enter..." Suddenly, all eyes, even Winson's, was focused on the door, this tall, dark-haired Greek god walking in. A good call, he was Greek, towering towards the ceiling at 6'5. Matching up with Jojo's height, it became natural, meeting each other with smiles. Though, Jared handed out the introductions, ending with Jay, still hovering about the keychain rack. Right away, though to Jared's slight embarrassment, Jay shared his feelings, comparing the new man's stature to a Greek god. "When you're done with your theatrics, bro, I'd like to introduce you to Giannis Xanthropoulos?" "Don't be a moron, Jare," Jay answers, then addresses Giannis, "How do you spell that?" It was decided, to play it safe, Jay just call him `Giannis', "So, Gianni, where are you from?" Ready to catch up on Giannis' history, Jay is interrupted, "I hate to break up this question and answer period, but soon we'll have to meet up with Alex?" A gut feeling, he wanted to invite Jojo, Giannis, panning the store, Winson, Johnny and David along for his weekend at the CK mansion, but without them, the store would fall apart. "Damn it," he sulked, waiting for Dirk to put their stuff on his tab, if only Johnny and David. Compassionate about people, it had been mentioned, while chatting with the teen couple, how tough life has dealt them, gay, without acceptance from friends and family, how they were lucky, to scrape out enough of a living to afford a trip to Atlantic City, it overwhelmed Jay, whistling, call out over the cloned Beach Boys' music, "Jare! Come here!" "Yes, your majesty," Jared bows. "Thanks, you can blow me later," barely a breath, "I want to take Johnny and David with me this weekend." "Take? Take where?" "CK's mansion, moron?" Jay answers. "That's impossible. You know we have a big tourist business on the weekends, Jay?" "I hate it when you're right," Jay says, but then goes back to his lamenting, a ditch effort to get his way, but not without conscious ranting, "but I just thought, David and Johnny have never had a real vacation." "What do you mean?" Jared contests, "Both come from solid families, who's parents who rake in 6-digits a year, apiece, and..." "I meant," Jay's voice protests, "since they came out and were able to be together, hassle-free. I follow the news. I know what guys go through who are bullied by not only peers, but their own families, over being gay? I just thought it would be nice if they have one free weekend, in a gay environment." Those puppy dog eyes strike again! "Um, in case you haven't noticed, bro," Jared knew he was losing this parley, "Fire Island is gay-friendly?" "They live and work here. It's not like they are on vacation!" Jared's rational views begin to deteriorate. If it's anything Jared hated, regardless of the value of principle, he immensely disliked seeing a frown on Jay's face, after having go through so much, physically, mentally and the disappointment live offered after high school. He also swore to make Jay's living happy as possible. With conflict, he relinquishes, "Okay, but don't expect me to grant your royal highness' wishes every time?" "Got it!" Jay's attitude takes a leap, starts rolling away, "Cool, wait till I tell them!" "Owch! You moron!" Jared yells out, hit'n'run! "Oops! Sorry about that," Jay keeps going. "You're sorry. Now what am I going to do to replace two troops?" Leaning on the counter, Stacy comes over, "Problems, Mr. Evans?" "Always, when it comes to my little brother!" "What'd he do?" "Stole two of our sales staff for the weekend?" Jared says, wiping his face with a hand, even though it wasn't perspiring. "Can't you bring anyone back from Warrior One? We're all connected, aren't we?" Face freezing, Jared's whole demeanor stood composed, one eyebrow cocked, one eyes looking up, like the answer to all of Jared's problems were on the ceiling, suddenly changing, staring at Stacy, "I think you've got something there, Stacy. Remind me to give you a raise." "Don't forget to give me a raise." "Remind me next summer, I meant!" Though, as a cordial gesture, Jared takes a package of gummy fish, something he knows she likes, "Here, this is on me." "Thanks Mr. Evans. I'll treasure it close to my heart... until they're gone!" Working against the clock now, Jared phones over to Warrior One, in full swing, so he's not sure who he'll connect with. Puttering around, in a job he made up as he went long, went where needed, Sean Hardy mostly created things to do, anything to stay inside the cool environment. Not which he minded being outdoors, watching all the shirts go by, or more, the shirtless, but in and out, cold-sweaty-cold wasn't his bottle of whiskey! Connecting with Sean, who knew how to work the switchboard, cutting off the recorded message just in time, Jared told him his predicament, asking for Jake, a man he knew he could count on. "What's wrong with me?" Sean asks. Caught off guard, Jared `hung', then opens up, "Well, nothing Sean." Not which Sean could tell, Jared assumed the position, looking to the ceiling for help. Sean, it was his little thing, not saying anything, which at times made him get his way. "Uh, yeah, I think you could help me out, Sean," Jared tells. "Cool. We'll be over there in half an hour. I've got some laundry to finish up on," Sean tells him. That's something else. Not only were things looking up for Jake, doing odd jobs which no one else wanted to do and without complaint, but Sean was like a superman when it came to dishing out chores, doing them without backtalk and putting pride into it. After hanging up, thinking about Sean, he says to himself, "Can't let that one get away!" Johnny and David were ecstatic over Jay's proposal, but first concern, were their jobs, Jay telling, "Jared gave me the okay." "If he says so, I guess it's so," Johnny says, eyes cast over to David. "Don't look at me. Jay, he's the boss," David tells his lover. Now they were going, Johnny asks, "Like, what's there to do there?" "Lots of stuff. You get to play with all the models in the pool, play chicken fights and stuff..." Johnny gulps, saying, "Um, like you had mentioned before, we wear next to nothing or nothing. Like, how would those chicken fights go?" More alpha of the two, David says, "Don't mind Johnny. It takes him awhile before he gets it!" Maybe it's just David, living a freer life, Johnny, coming from a deeply religious family, having to keep a lid of things, until he met David. Then he broke the mold! "Oh, he'll get it," Jay promises. Next thing on their agenda, Jay was about to grant them release from their jobs a few seconds from now, telling them, they had to wear more up to date clothing, based on what they arrived to work wearing, before changing into their store duds. David asks, "Uh, yeah, fine, but can we get a few weeks salary, on credit?" The business belonged to Jay, as well as his brother and if Jared could extend a line of credit to anyone, why himself, "Sure. Just don't spend over a thousand bucks, apiece!" he laughs. Dirk, who had more of a working sense of credit, knew what happened when a person spent more in a billing cycle than their salary could pay, at the end of a month, rolled his eyes, thinking, if they shopped for two, based on today's prices, against what they made an hour, the two would have to work 36 hours a day, 8 days a week, for the rest of their lives, what with penalties and fees, says to Jay on the side, "You better put it on your own account." "Why? Jared gave me a line of credit. Can't I do it for someone else?" Dirk strongly suggests, "You're family. You can't go doing it for everyone else. Anything on credit, does not immediately go back into the store kitty. Pretty soon everyone owes you and you have nothing to buy new goods. Fashion changes. You can't sell this year's goods at next year's prices!" "Wow. You're right. How did you get so smart about this stuff?" "High school Economics 101!" Placing a hand on Dirk's forearm, Jay says, "Y'know, not only are you handsome, you're smart. That's more than a lot of guys have?" "Stop it. It's starting to go to my head!" Jay's hand slips down, gives an unobserved pat, "Not here?" "Shut up. Remember what Jared said about that stuff in the store!" "You're mean!" Jay claims, smiling. "I can be, if I want to be. Now I'm happy," he smiles. "Nice to meet ya, Dr. Jekyl or Mr. Hyde!" "C'mon. Let's get moving." Friday morning, it was a little slow. Solving Jay's dilemma, having to get to the ferry, with David and Johnny trailing behind, Gail suggested them leaving way too early. Stacy came up with the idea, if things got shakin', "Oh, don't worry, baby," she always came up with these affectionate words, patting Jay on the head like he was a puppy, "if it gets busy, I'll get dreamy Jojo to help us out." "But it's not Jojo's job to help customers?" Jay says. "What Jojo don't know, wouldn't hurt him now, will it?" "Stacy," Jay says, "in case word hasn't got around, Jojo is gay." "Really?" When designs on him destruct, she complains, "That sucks!" A few days ago, whereas he thought Gail and Stacy were a true lesbian couple, come to find out, Stacy can tackle either side of the fence. He was ready to say something, but Jay had to practice not being lewd, in public, therefore put away his cock-jokes, "Sorry `bout that." It was strange, Jay thinking, the dude behind Jared, walking in the door, was with his brother. He had never seen him before, but with all the surprise comings and goings of dudes in the past two weeks, another added to the landscape would not be a surprise at all. However, his main concern is, "Did you find some willing and able sales people for me?" Jared responds, "I don't know how willing, but Sean and Jake will be here in a bit." "Sean? Jake? Oh cool! My best buds!" Jared knew Jake was dear to Jay, but Sean hadn't been connected to them for too long. Though, Jared had to admit he liked Sean very much. Not only in business, but personally he was a nice guy to know. "Remember what I told you about pulling this on me all the time?" Jared warns, the fatherly finger pointed at Jay. "Okay dad!" When a lull in the conversation fails to draw anymore words out of the two, Gail butts in, "Mr. Evans, this is Brett O'Hara, seeking your majesty's audience?" Jared smiles, which should have left his face, but looking upon `Brett O'Hara', it was just pleasing, "Hello. What can I do for you?" Standing there, 6'2, eyes of blue, which seemed strange to Jared, coupled with the Irish surname, it was just weird, this blue-eyed Irish guy having cocoa brown skin, though the features were stunning, Brett saying, "I'm working on my doctorate and thought I could pick up a few bucks in between my other job." Oblong head, closely cropped hair, dark in color, stache and chinstrap, molded into one fine specimen of a man, Jared tries to keep his mind on business, "Which would be?" "Boston University, I'm now affiliated with Wood's Hole Institute, but on assignment at Rockbottom Marina." "In New Jersey," Jared assumes. "Yes, but they are opening a smaller marina at the end of the channel. You may have noticed, there's a house under construction directly adjacent?" Brett explains. "I very well know the area. That house under construction used to be my project," he spoke proud, the house starting out as his pet project, before deciding on selling it. "That's probably the one. Regardless, I have been selected to monitor the creatures which are kept there, along the lines of what would be a zoo keeper." "With all the education you have, you want to provide customer service all day long in a store, working for minimum wage?" Jared carries on the informal interview. He loved hearing Brett speak, something he could explain only as a reggae-jig, "Suits me fine. Most of the summer I will be vacationing, and truthfully, after I'm done with college, I will need to pay off all those student loans?" Seeing Karl check something out with the door sensor, Jared says, "It's going to take centuries on a salesperson's salary. Do you mind waiting a minute?" He smiled, seeing Jared walk away. His real interest in anyone in the store, when he walked in, Brett saw this tall dude, clipboard in hand, going over some things with one of the ladies. More of a interest, was the man! Now, watching his interviewer and the other guy, adjusting something on the door, Jared bending down, ass filling out out the pants seat, it made him bite a lip! Coming back, Jared had Karl with him, saying, "I'm placing you under Karl's command, that is if you don't mind being a store cop!" "Security?" Brett questions, like he wasn't in favor of it, but surprises the two, "Not a problem. I run into that position quite frequently at the marina. Always someone trying to get a closer view, without realizing the danger they put themselves in." Right now, Karl felt danger, of dropping his cock right into Brett's ass, of wanting to leave it there, until... "So, I'll leave you with Karl?" "I can't start today," Brett informs them. Jared was about to speak, Karl placing a hand on Brett's sleeve, "Don't worry. We've got you covered." Sending a message, not really bent out of shape over it, Jared stares Karl down, "Yeah. Don't worry. We've got you covered." Out of the corner of his mouth, Karl says, "Sorry!" After Brett filled out additional forms and left, Karl says to Jared, "Sorry I overstepped myself." Looking around, making sure no one was in earshot, Jared says, "On your knees, giving me a blow job would make everything copacetic?" "Copa-what?" "Put right? Corrected as best as possible?" "What can I say," Karl takes it off the cuff, "I'm a moron at heart!" "A loveable one," Jared softens the blow. "Really?" Karl is all smiles. "But don't read into it." "Oh," Karl says in a moaning tone. "So, we're all set with security here at Jay's and Warrior One?" Jared makes smalltalk. "Are you joking? Terror, he's a one-man security force in itself!" "Just make things work out. We don't need any problems our first summer. By the way?" "So, what else is on your mind except men?" Karl could tell something was brewing. Jared returned a frowning look. Karl, well-knowing of how Jared was trying to keep his brother in mind, rubs a hand over his mouth, producing a garbled, "Sorry." Jared just stood there, reminiscing, only instead of his lover's bod adjusted to fit the x-frame last night, he pictured Karl in his place. Sensing Jared in a faraway reverie, Karl asks, "What?" "Nothing," Jared flits his daydream away. Thinking it a sensitive matter, Karl shimmies his way around the counter, till their butts are aligned, "Doesn't sound like `nothing?'" "Well it is," Jared should have kept on with business, instead branching off, "just something about you and last night. That's all." "Oh, that hurt," Karl says, closed fist to his heart, like he had indigestion, "I'm nothing?" Jared's been though stuff like this, but 99% of the time it's been his little brother stalking him until he started talking, "I was just thinking about last night and Oz tied to that x-frame." "And?" `Wow,' Jared thought, Karl just like Jay, "Nothing." Backing up, arms crossing over his middle, which pulling on the shirt, made Karl's pecs more pronounced, "Nothing. Nothing is something." "Karl," Jared throws his pen down, "are you using reverse psychology on me?" "Why not, if it works?" He had things to do, like be at the flagship store soon and if he could fit it in, and the spinoff, satellite store. Figuring it wouldn't hurt to come clean, Jared whispers in Karl's ear, I was picturing you, in Oz's place." He backs off, in case of repercussions! "Might prove interesting," Karl smiles. In reality, it's not how Jared pictured Karl at all, more like Joseph Rocco's twin brother, putting things into perspective, settling on, "Hmm, interesting." "Or, `interested?'" Karl puts it back on Jared. Looking up at the surfboard clock, Jared skips back to business, "Do you want to know my idea?" Still with his mind in the dungeon, Karl smiles, says, "Oh yes. All of them!" "I meant my idea about business, and not pleasure, for the moment?" "Oh yeah," Karl goes to swatting flies again, "I knew that. What's up?" "This is strictly confidential and not meant for ears outside of you, me and whomever else I've chosen to share with," Jared's voice deepens. "You're not pregnant yet, are you?" Jared just stood there, staring, face not changing. "Okay, sorry. I guess you can tell, my mind always in the gutter?" "So I noticed," the strictness of his face still show, "but as I was saying, I don't intend on making this public just yet, not until the deal is finalized, but I'm purchasing Kermit's Nook." "Why? What's happened to Kermit?" "Nothing, but he's giving up his business to move to Florida, the family business and before his enterprise can be grabbed up, I thought I would put in my bid. What do you think?" "Well, I must say, I'm overwhelmed by your confidentiality," Karl says, "I didn't realize that you and me were... close?" Right away, wanting to keep this business, Jared says, "Close, but not close in the way you're thinking it?" "I `am' thinking it `that way' and not the `other way'!" Karl claims. "Okay. Just checking." "Let me guess who told you." "Who?" "The man on the island who knows everyone else's business?" Of course, Jared knew, but also knew the person Karl was describing, "Joseph, who you're thinking of?" "That's him. So, why are you telling me?" "Well, frankly at this moment I don't know anyone qualified to act on security measures, except our mutual friend, and I know I'll be stretching you thin, but was hoping, of course with an extra endowment, take on all three businesses?" Karl did get a little hyper, thinking back 20 years, to Joseph having him cuffed to the bed, stretching out his endowment, but dove back into serious matters, "Sure I can handle it. No problem." "If you feel you need to, after Brett and Giannis get broken in, you can siphon off help from either of the other two businesses?" Reading into all this, Karl tried keeping on topic, but breaking in Brett and Giannis, man he would love to, "Sounds good to me!" Just to make sure, Jared asks, "We're both on the same page here, aren't we Karl?" "Absolutely!" "Great. So, sometime this weekend, go over to Kermit's, have a cup of java on me and check out the place. Let me know anything, if you see something." "Like?" This time, to cheer Karl up, Jared says, "Cute boys who would still want to keep their kitchen jobs or waiting tables?" "I'm on that detail!" Karl smiles back. Literally bumping into the two, tips of Jay's shoes making contact with the back of Jared's legs, he says, "Okay, we're off!" Turning around, Jared suddenly felt guilty, saying, "Are you going to be all right?" Coming up from behind, Jake says, "Don't be mundane, of course he's going to be all right. Hey, stuff one of those CK models in your luggage for me, bro!" "I wish you could come," Jay stares overhead. Leveling off eye level, "I wish you could too, Jare." He wished more than Jay, but suddenly the world was not all theirs, not tight as brothers, when there weren't so many people in their lives, "Maybe another time. But call me. Every day?" Smiling, Jay says, "I'll see if I can tear myself away from all the attention - not!" Jared says to the little circle around them, "You all want to give us a minute?" Jay figures, here comes the mushy stuff, coupled with fatherly advice, "What's up?" As with Karl, Jared gives Jay a run through on Kermit's Nook, "What do you think?" "I think they need wider aisles, anything else?" "No. I think that about covers it," Jared replies, waiting. "Aren't you going to tell me the do's and don'ts, like wear a condom or other stuff?" "Oh, are you able to get a condom on that telephone pole?" "If I could I'd kick you in the balls, bro!" "If you could kick me in the balls, I'd feel happy and well, very sad at the same time," Jared's hand shows why, slipping down his inner thigh. "You're still a cruel person, Jare." "I know. Do I get a hug before you go?" "Ok, dad!" They took the ferry, made the connection with Alex on the other side. On the ferry, whereas the others were ecstatic about the weekend they were about to walk into, Jay was not. About to eject Jay out of his chair and put him in the limousine, he blurts out, "I don't wanna go!" "Don't want to go?" Dirk asks. "What's with that?" "I know you want to, but I just feel funny, like I don't feel like partying right now," Jay began to get moist. Alex, helping the driver out with last minute GPS coordinates, comes around to the side, "What's the matter Jay?" Dirk stands, addresses Alex with a sweet smile, "I think he's homesick!" "Really?" Alex says, looking over their shoulders, David and Johnny standing there. "Well, you don't need to go and you won't be hurting my feelings if you don't. If it's all right thought, I can take your friends and return them?" "You go with them, Dirk," Jay has settled on his decision to remain. "You're loco. What fun would it be without you?" Dirk relays. "I'm sorry," Jay laments, tearing. "Don't be," Dirk says, Alex producing a tissue, grabbed off his driver. "I will have more of a good time being at home with you, instead of a whole castle full of hot men," he smiles... then gulps! "Hot men, who have plumbing that works!" "Will you shut up about that stuff. There's more important things in the world. Now, let's back off and allow these gentlemen to get on with their weekend." Johnny yells, "What about your clothes, Jay?" "Keep them for yourself," Jay graciously leaves behind his suitcase, already packed in the trunk. As they pull away, Dirk admits, "They'll be swimming in `my' speedo!" Already cheering, now that Alex's limo was pulling away, Jay says, "I like you better without it, Dirk." % Copyright 2014 T. Chase McPhee `MAkiNG WaRRioRs', and developing segments of this story, may not be sold, nor made part of any collection, without prior consent from the author.