Date: Sat, 16 May 2020 15:02:47 +0000 (UTC) From: Dave Subject: Kyle and His Immodest Roommate - Part 3 KYLE AND HIS IMMODEST ROOMMATE Kyle and Justin come to share a small apartment in Palm Springs. Kyle is surprised with his new roommate's unexpected casualness about wearing anything. No minors were harmed in the writing of this story, but if you are one please go find something else to do. Please do not reproduce this story in any form without the permission of the author. Damian nvtahoeus@yahoo.com END OF PART 2 Jesse was bigger and buffer than I, and I didn't want to piss him off since I had to be reliant on him to drive me back to my car at the park. When we got there, he put his hand on my thigh and said "I hope there are no hard feelings, Justin. It was good to see you again." I squeezed his hand while gently removing it from my leg and got out of the car, still having mixed feelings about the afternoon with my former lover. "Good-bye, Jesse," was all I could come up with. I unlocked my car and drove back to El Cajon in a daze and kept wondering what I would say to Kyle when he asked me how my day off was. As it turned out, that would be the least of my problems. PART 3 KYLE: I'm seldom irritated with Justin, but this had been one of those days. I knew he had the day off from work, but it was difficult getting in touch with him. I had some good news about a new account in my business that I wanted to share with him, but he put me off when I tried to reach him. I knew he was having lunch with "an old friend," but it was now nearly 5 o'clock and he hadn't tried to call me back. My insecurities were causing me to wonder about that "lunch," but basically I knew – or at least thought and hoped – that I could trust him. I was about ready to warm up some leftovers for my solitary dinner when I heard my cat Harry emit a noise of fright that I'd never heard from him before. He bolted out of my lap and hid behind some furniture. Seconds later I knew what had set him off. We were starting to have an earthquake like I'd never felt before! I tried to get up from the chair I'd been sitting in, but I fell to the floor immediately and couldn't get up. I wanted to run outdoors, but our apartment was on the second floor, and I couldn't even get to the door. The sickening twisting and turning went on for what seemed like an hour, but it was probably only a few minutes. When it finally stopped, I was trapped under a heavy 6-foot-high shelving unit that had fallen on me and I couldn't budge. I knew I was badly injured. I yelled for help, but I couldn't be heard. Whoever else was in the building was probably in similar trouble, if not worse. Soon I heard sirens – then my cell phone ringing often, but it was under a pile of rubble where I couldn't reach it. Then I guess I blacked out. When I finally came to, it was starting to get dark out. I was alone, in pain, hungry, and very scared. JUSTIN: As I neared my parents' home in El Cajon, I had made up my mind to just be honest with Kyle about my afternoon with Jesse. Honesty is usually the best path to follow, even if it's uncomfortable or painful. I just hoped that Kyle would understand that I never intended for things to go so far with my ex. At least I stopped it before it got worse, I rationalized. As I reached the city limits, I felt a brief but sharp jolt and momentarily lost control of my car. Luckily, I was able to pull over and avoid any real problems. I've lived in southern California all my life, so an occasional minor quake was expected and usually not too damaging. It was over quickly, so I started up again and was home within 10 minutes. "Did you feel the quake, honey?" my mom said when I got inside. "Yeah, it wasn't too bad." She had the local news on the kitchen TV, and we started watching it together while she finished cooking dinner. It quickly became apparent that the epicenter of the quake – a 5.8 on the Richter scale, as we learned later – was a few miles north of Palm Springs, along the San Andreas fault, and I panicked, thinking about Kyle. The newscasters were learning new details as they were reporting live, and it appeared that there was little serious structural damage in the city but lots of big messes inside homes and businesses that would have to be cleaned up. I immediately tried calling Kyle to see if he was all right, but there was no answer. I left a voicemail message imploring him to call me, but he never did. I knew I had to go and see for myself if he was okay. "Mom, I'm sorry, but I have to go to Palm Springs – right now!" "Honey, can't it wait until after dinner? I'm fixing something kind of special." "No, Mom, I need to get there as soon as possible. Kyle isn't answering his phone, and I'm worried sick about him. I'll get something to eat as soon as I can." "Well, call us when you can. I hope Kyle is all right. I guess you won't be back until tomorrow – don't you have to work?" "Yes, I'm scheduled, but I'll deal with that tomorrow. Wish me luck," I said to her and gave her a kiss. "Tell Dad I'm sorry. Where is he, by the way?" "He took a late nap. I'll be getting him up in a minute or so. Drive carefully and stay safe!" The drive to Palm Springs seemed interminable. I never even stopped for something to eat. It was usually a two- to three-hour drive, but all I could think about was Kyle and what happened to him. I stopped once or twice to try calling him again, but he still didn't answer. I knew he was in trouble because he would've called me if he was all right. When I finally reached the city, nothing seemed too much out of the ordinary. Some traffic signals were flashing red in all directions, and there was a plume of smoke from one neighborhood. More people than usual were outdoors talking with their neighbors, but there was no general panic as far as I could tell. But when I pulled into Kyle's parking lot, there were some ambulances. Apparently his building had taken a bigger hit than many in town. I literally ran from there up the stairs, which were still intact. When I got to his door, I pounded on it, calling his name, as I tried my key. The door was slightly jammed, but I finally managed to shove it open. It was already mostly dark out, but fortunately the power was on, so I could see, and what I saw stunned me. Furniture was knocked over, and smaller items littered the floor, many of them broken. It was clear that the building had taken quite a jolt. In the living room there had been a tall shelving unit, quite full of books, a large-screen TV, and some decorative objects, that was now face down on the floor. We had always meant to brace it to the wall but had never gotten around to it. I saw part of an arm – certainly belonging to my boyfriend – sticking out and heard moans coming from under the rubble. "Kyle, I'm here, baby!" I said, as I started digging through the mess to free him. But first I had to get the shelving unit itself standing again so I could get to all the objects in the way. It was heavy and it was all I could do to push it back up against the wall without running the danger of it falling again. I finally managed to prop it back in place and then started removing the books and other objects that were covering Kyle. I threw things in all directions as fast as I could and finally uncovered the poor guy, lying face up. I knew he'd been trapped for several hours and could not move. I looked for blood but saw none. He had wet himself, but otherwise he looked like he was just sleeping. I couldn't tell the extent of his injuries, but he wasn't able to get to his feet. "Justin! Is that you?" he managed to say through his moans. I didn't want to try to move him in case it would do more harm than good, so I told him I'd be right back with some help. I ran back down the stairs, hoping to find at least one EMT. There were still two ambulances in the parking lot, but no EMT. Finally a couple of them came out of the building with an occupant on a gurney, so I pleaded with them to come to Kyle's apartment. "We're stretched to the limit right now, fella, but we'll get some help here as soon as we can. What's your friend's apartment number?" I told them and then ran back up to Kyle. I smothered him with gentle kisses and told him that help would be coming soon. "I love you, Kyle. It's going to be all right. I got here as fast as I could." "I know," he replied in a barely audible voice. "Thank you. Are you okay?" "Yes, yes, don't worry about me. It's you that we have to be concerned with. Do you have any broken bones or anything?" "I don't know," he said, weakly. I touched him in several places to see if he could feel anything, and he said he could but that his whole body hurt. I was relieved that he could still feel things. That meant no spinal cord injury had occurred. I was able to get some water in him, as he complained of being very thirsty. We waited for almost an hour before the EMTs arrived. I was so glad to see them! They asked him some questions and then cut most of his clothes off – he hadn't been wearing much – to check for any obvious injuries and then put him on a gurney to the ER, after covering him with a sheet. "We're taking him to Desert Regional Hospital," they told me. "You can call there in a few hours to ask for an update." They seemed used to dealing with same-sex partners, since a large part of the Palm Springs population is gay. I decided I could do more good putting things back in place than I could sitting in a waiting room for hours, so I reluctantly let them take Kyle away while I remained in our apartment (I still considered it "ours" even though I had moved to San Diego). But the first thing I did after Kyle and the EMTs left – and I finally found something to eat – was to call my parents to let them know I had arrived safely and found Kyle and got help for him. They were relieved to hear from me. Then I decided to call Kyle's parents in Tucson. They had been trying to call him as well, so they were very grateful to hear from me, but concerned that we didn't yet know the extent of his injuries. I promised to call them with updates when I knew more. They are such sweet people. By the time I'd made those calls, it was totally dark outside, and I felt very alone and sad. The mess that the quake had caused was overwhelming, but I knew no one else was going to deal with it. So I plunged in and did the best I could putting things back in place. Kyle would no doubt rearrange things when he was back home and feeling well enough. Our bedroom wasn't quite as torn up as other rooms, so I decided I would sleep there that night. The electric power and the plumbing were still working, fortunately. I had never slept in Kyle's bed alone before, but I was so tired that I went to sleep immediately and stayed that way until dawn. It hadn't occurred to me when I arrived yesterday that I hadn't seen Harry, Kyle's beloved cat. But when I got up and went to the kitchen to look for some food, I heard meowing and scratching. I looked around, but Harry was nowhere to be found. Finally, I opened the slightly jammed apartment door and there was Harry! Apparently he had slipped out unnoticed the night before when I had left the door open for the EMTs. Now he was back, ravenously hungry, and very happy to see me. Harry and I had breakfast together – thank God the refrigerator was still upright – and then I called Desert Regional to see if I could get an update on Harry's owner. After much agonizing time on hold, I finally got to speak to a nurse on the floor where Kyle had been taken after being treated in the ER. I explained that I was his life partner and that he had no family in the Palm Springs area. The nurse reported that Kyle had a broken right arm and cracked ribs but was otherwise in good shape. He would have to remain in the hospital for another day or two to be treated for dehydration but could be released then if there was someone to provide live-in help for a period of time. That was an enormous relief, and I immediately called his parents in Tucson with the relatively good news. It could have been so much worse – and would have been if I'd not come the day before and found him trapped under that shelving unit. Who knows what would have happened to him if I had not? But of course – for me – there was no other choice. The nurse had said I could visit Kyle that same day, so I made a beeline for the hospital after making sure Harry was resettled comfortably in the apartment. He fell asleep before I could even get out the door. On the way to the hospital I realized that I was supposed to work today in San Diego, so I pulled over long enough to call my store manager and explain why I could not. He seemed sympathetic until he learned that I felt I needed to stay in Palm Springs for a few weeks until Kyle fully recovered. There was an uncomfortable pause on the other end of the line. "Well," my boss finally said, "you can have up to two weeks of unpaid leave, but we need you back as soon as possible." I agreed – what choice did I have? KYLE: When I heard someone trying to open my jammed door the night of the earthquake, I was so relieved that I almost cried. I'd been in constant pain for hours, with difficulty in breathing with that shelving unit and a load of books on top of my prone body. But when I heard Justin's voice calling out for me, I really did cry. My angel of mercy had come! I knew that I had only myself to blame for that shelving unit falling. Justin and I had often said we needed to brace it – this is earthquake country after all – but we'd kept putting it off. How Justin got it back up off me and secured again was a miracle. The unit is heavy, and Justin isn't all that big and strong. I guess it was adrenalin – and love, I hoped – that gave him the strength. I was able to breathe more easily with the unit off of me, but my ribs sure hurt. I knew they were at least cracked if not broken. My right arm hurt a lot, too, and I couldn't move it much. Justin's kisses helped turn the tide in my favor as well. I was embarrassed that I had wet myself, but Justin and the EMTs never mentioned it. I felt myself being stripped nearly naked for their inspection, but they had a job to do and they did it well. The next day I woke up in the hospital wondering what was next. My ribs still hurt, and I had cast on my right arm. A young nice-looking black orderly by the name of Grady brought me some breakfast and fed it to me. Then he asked me if I'd like to be bathed in bed. That was a little awkward for me since I'm not used to being naked in front of anyone but Justin, but he was gentle and reassuring as he washed all my parts, being careful not to hurt me as he moved me. I did get an erection, but Grady didn't say anything about it. I was hugely embarrassed, however! Justin arrived a short time later, and I was so glad to see him again. "Hey, babe," he said, giving me a nice kiss. "How are you doing?" "Well, I've been better. Thanks again for saving me last night. How are you?" "I'm okay now that I'm back with you," he said. "But it sucked having to sleep in our bed all alone last night. How long do you have to stay here?" "They haven't told me yet, but I hope it won't be long. How long can you stay in town with me?" "I talked to my boss about it this morning, and he's giving me two weeks off – without pay of course." "Ouch! Looks like neither one of us will be earning any money for a while. Good thing we have some savings to tide us over." Just then Grady came back in with some pain meds and to take my blood pressure. I introduced him to Justin, and I think I saw a wink. Clearly, he was in our camp. I could tell that Justin thought so, too. "I'll be taking good care of your man, Justin," Grady said. "He's been a model patient so far. You can come and visit any time during normal hours – they're posted on the door there." "Thanks, Grady. I appreciate everything you're doing for Kyle. Can we have a little private time now? We have a lot to talk about." "Sure, Justin. I'll give you an hour, but then I have to check on Kyle again." Grady walked out of the room and discreetly closed the curtain around Kyle's bed so we wouldn't be disturbed. "Grady's great," I said to Justin. "He fed me breakfast and then he cleaned me up." "Do I want to know just how thoroughly he did that?" he teased. "Well, to be honest, there isn't any place on me that he didn't see and touch, but he was very professional." "Did his bathing cause this?" he said, laying his hand on the lump that was still apparent under my sheet. "Well..." I said with a blush. "I can't deny it." "He's given us some privacy, so why don't you let me do something about it? You're going to be kind of out of commission in that regard with your right arm in a cast – unless, of course, you can take care of things with your left hand." I didn't answer, but I didn't have to. I just closed my eyes and let my boyfriend uncover my midsection. I was hard as a rock and gasped as Justin took matters into his own right hand. I was too turned on to care that someone might come in and catch us. A few gentle strokes was all it took, and soon I was blasting an enormous load all over my freshly washed cracked ribs. I can't deny that I was thinking about Grady giving me that naked sponge bath only minutes before. I should have felt guilty about it, but it was such a hot experience that I didn't at all. Justin cleaned me up and gave me another nice kiss and then covered me back up again. I was already thinking about a repeat the next day. What a great guy my boyfriend is! JUSTIN: I was certainly glad that Kyle was in such good spirits when I made my first visit to the hospital. He was better off there than at home, which was still quite a mess, but I would work diligently to get it in better shape for his homecoming. I told him that I called his parents, and he thanked me for that. When I got back home, our landlord stopped by to check on how our apartment had fared during the earthquake the day before. He was sad to see the mess it had made – and sadder still about Kyle's injuries -- but his initial inspection revealed only some cracks in the walls but no serious structural problems, and he declared it livable. Of course he did – he wanted the rent payments to continue. I was glad to hear from him that there were no fatalities among the building's occupants and that only three renters had injuries serious enough to require hospitalization. I only knew one of them – an elderly gentleman across the hall from us who was probably "one of us." He had no family, so I would make sure to pay him a visit next time I went to the hospital. I threw out the broken items and made a list of them so we could replace what we wanted. Our large-screen TV had been on the shelving unit that collapsed on Kyle, but it appeared to be intact. Some lamps were broken, and some dishes as well, but overall I think it was more a mess than a calamity. We would recover, but it was a wake-up call to prepare for the next "big one." I went back to see Kyle later in the day and tried to give him an optimistic but realistic picture of what he would come home to. I didn't try to do anything with his home office since he would have to sort that out, but I would make sure he had a clean, comfortable bed to come home to – one that I was looking forward to sharing with him once more – even if temporarily. The "temporarily" part of that was what I had trouble accepting. I hadn't realized just how much I had been missing our life together in Palm Springs, but it certainly hit me now that I was back. Kyle and I belonged together! KYLE: Grady was true to his word – he took good care of me during my hospital stay. I wasn't much good trying to eat with my left hand, so I let him feed me when Justin wasn't there at mealtimes. I suppose I could've managed by myself, but I have to admit that I enjoyed the attention. Grady was not only very professional, but he was genuinely a nice guy. After that first embarrassing sponge bath in my bed, Grady suggested that I should take a shower instead the second day. I was up walking the halls by then anyway, so it made sense to me. He helped me get undressed and then wrapped my right arm cast so that it wouldn't get wet. Then he did something that I never expected – he stripped totally naked in front of me and then entered the shower area to test the water while I watched – carefully, of course. "I can't very well help you if I'm dressed," he explained. "My scrubs would get soaked. Hope you don't mind." "No problem," I replied, admiring his beautiful brown body. It had been a long time since I had seen a black guy naked, and I have to admit that I was enjoying it. A lot! Justin, forgive me. Grady washed me from head to toe, trying to take extreme care not to hurt my aching ribs. Of course, I got hard again, but this time I wasn't the only one. Grady's beautiful 9-inch cut cock stood straight out from his body. He was trying to keep it from touching my own body, but in those tight quarters we were in, it was inevitable that we would sometimes come in contact. "Sorry about that, Kyle," he murmured in my ear. "It seems to have a mind of its own." "Well, don't worry about it. Mine's the same way, as you can clearly see." "Yes, I see," he said as he washed it with his bare hands. "Kyle, I've, uh, never done this before for a patient, but if you need a helping hand with that, I'm game if you are." That shocked the heck out of me, and my cock jumped in front of me. I wanted so badly to accept his offer, but I knew it wasn't a good idea. Justin was going to be the only guy who could do that for me. I knew that he would feel the same way if he were in my shoes. (Oops – what shoes? LOL!) "Umm, I'm good, Grady, but thanks. Justin takes good care of me – in all regards. But I'll let you dry me off – okay? I'd be happy to return the favor if I didn't have this broken arm." Grady looked disappointed, but he said "Sure" and proceeded to use the water wand to rinse the suds off of both of us – slowly, I thought. Then he stepped out of the shower stall and dried himself off as I watched. His lean, muscular body was magnificent, and I was happy he had been willing to shower with me. Then he gently patted me dry and removed the plastic covering from my cast. He put his underwear and scrubs back on and then helped me with my hospital gown. We had just finished with all that when Justin appeared at the bathroom door. I was happy to see him but glad he had not arrived a moment sooner. "Good morning, guys," Justin said. "Looks like you just got cleaned up, Kyle. Feeling better this morning?" "Hi, hon. I sure am. Who wouldn't, with Grady's care? How are you today? Got the apartment back in shape yet?" "Well, it's getting more manageable, but we still have a lot of work to do. When can you come home?" I looked at Grady for an answer, and he said, "As soon as the doctor says you can. He should be by shortly." Grady went on his way to check on his other patients, and Justin sat on the edge of my bed and talked to me. But first he closed the curtain around me and gave me a nice kiss. "How's it hangin' down here, kiddo?" he said with a smirk and checking to see if I was as hard as yesterday morning. "It's still there. Maybe you can take care of it when we get back home," I said, feeling grateful – even relieved – that I had not taken Grady up on his offer to get me off. JUSTIN: Kyle's doctor did indeed release him to me that same morning, with reminders that he needed to take it easy for a few weeks until his ribs could heal. He had sent a prescription for some pain meds to our pharmacy and told Kyle to make an appointment for a follow-up in a few days. Grady came back and helped me get Kyle out of his hospital gown and into the clean clothes I had brought for him. I was a little surprised that he gave Kyle a quick hug as we left the room. He shook my hand and wished us well. Kyle had been lucky to have Grady for a day nurse. Another orderly wheeled Justin to the front door of the hospital, where I met them with my car. He carefully got in, and I helped him get buckled up. It was clear that his rib cage was giving him considerable discomfort. We picked up the prescription at our pharmacy and then headed home. "Harry will be glad to see you, babe." "Thanks for taking care of him, hon. I was so worried about him after the quake hit. I was just glad he found a safe place to hide. He fared better than I did." "That's for sure. It could have been so much worse for both of you." Kyle had a little trouble getting up the stairs to our apartment door, but he managed with my help. Once we got inside, he looked around and just shook his head. "Wow," he said. "What a mess! Looks like we have some work to do." "Well, yes, but the first order of business is to get you back in shape. The rest can wait." "Maybe so," he said glumly, "but I do have a job here, and my clients can't wait too long." He walked over to his home office and nearly cried at the mess he found there. I hadn't touched that room, because I didn't know where to begin. "Are you ready for some lunch now, and then a little nap?" He nodded his head and found his way to an open chair. I had bought a few things at the grocery, so I dug out some stuff for a sandwich for us. Kyle could handle that with his good left hand, but he was glad for my help with anything that required using utensils. We went to bed naked after lunch, and I just held him gently until he dozed off. My Kyle was back with me once again, and I was so happy. I tried not to think about what was next for us and finally dozed with him. KYLE: When I woke up, I was feeling a little better. Justin was still snoozing next to me, and I just looked at him with gratefulness that he was back in our bed and that he had come to my rescue last Saturday. In a way, I was glad that he wasn't here during the quake because both of us may have been trapped and injured by it. He was facing me in the bed, so I just leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. It hurt my ribcage to turn like that, but it was worth it. I loved this man with all my heart, and I knew nothing could keep us apart for very long. We would find a way to be together again for good, I was sure. I had to go to the bathroom, so I managed to get myself there without help, and without waking Justin. I wondered how long it would be before I could navigate the apartment without pain. Doing what I needed to do with just my left hand was something I'd never done before, but I knew I would have to get used to it until my right-arm cast could come off. JUSTIN: The next few days were challenging, but Kyle seemed to feel a little better each day. He started in on getting his home office back in shape so he could work again. I did what I could to help, but it was basically his baby. I worried sometimes that he was going about it too quickly, but that was Kyle. When it came to work, he was about as disciplined as you could get. More than once Kyle woke me in the night with moans. He was having nightmares about being trapped during the quake and unable to move. I shuddered when I thought about the trauma he'd had to endure before I arrived. I hadn't forgotten my decision to be honest with him about my unplanned shower experience with Jesse in San Diego, but I had been putting it off while we got the apartment back in shape again. Finally, one afternoon I made him take a break, fixed us both a drink, and just laid it out. "Kyle, honey, I need to tell you something, and you might not like it very much." "What could that be?" he said, giving me an odd look. "I don't want there to be any secrets between us. I told you that I had lunch with an old friend the day of the earthquake. It was rather spontaneous. He saw me in the store the day before, and we decided to meet for lunch the next day. "His name is Jesse, and you should know that he was my last boyfriend before I met you. We split up two years ago. After lunch we played Frisbee in the park for a while. We got all hot and sweaty, so he suggested that we go back to his apartment to clean up a bit. "I didn't see the harm in it, although I was a little wary of his intentions. I knew I wouldn't let anything happen because you and I agreed to be monogamous with each other." Kyle's eyes got a little wider the more I laid out this tale for him. "After I got in the shower – alone, I should say – Jesse came in the bathroom with a towel for me. I kept my back to him, but pretty soon he entered the shower stall naked and wanted to wash my back. I knew it wasn't a good idea, but I let him. "But what you need to know is that nothing more happened. I reminded him that I had a new boyfriend – you – and that we needed to cool it real fast." "Were either of you hard?" he asked. "I can't lie, Kyle. Yes. But he never touched me there, and I never touched him either. I told him I needed to get dressed and go back to my parents' house for dinner. He accepted that, and that's all there was to it. Really. All I could think about was you and how much I wanted to stay faithful to you." I thought I would omit the part about Jesse and I drying each other. I had already revealed more than I felt comfortable with. "Are you angry with me, Kyle?" All of a sudden he started laughing! That was the last thing I expected from him after my revelation, and I was a little bewildered. He actually looked relieved! "What?" I said as he just kept laughing. "Justin, Justin," he said, as he finally got his laughter under control. "That's hilarious!" "What's hilarious about it, Kyle?" I said. Was he making fun of me? I was getting annoyed. I had just bared my soul, which I didn't really have to do, and here he was making light of the situation. "Okay, my turn. You remember Grady in the hospital – the black orderly?" "Sure. Why are you bringing him up?" "I already told you about the sponge bath he gave me the first morning I was in there." "Yeah. What about it?" "Well, the next day he thought I should try taking a shower. So after I got naked, he wrapped my cast in some plastic, and the next thing I knew he was getting naked, too – said he didn't want to get his scrubs wet trying to wash me. We were in the shower together." "Go on." This was getting interesting. "Did you get hard?" "Wouldn't you? Oh, yeah, you just told me you did." I was beginning to see the humor in this but kept a straight face while Kyle went on. "So pretty soon Grady and I were both hard, and he, uh, offered to `take care of me' because of my broken arm." "Did you let him?" "No, I did the same thing you did with Jesse – I told him that I had a boyfriend who would take care of me. So he didn't pursue it. We just finished our shower and he dried us off and got me dressed – right before you showed up. "I didn't know whether to tell you about it or not, but when you just did true confessions a moment ago I couldn't help but feel relieved. And I just couldn't keep from laughing at the irony of it all." "That's too funny, Kyle. It's also kind of hot, if I have to be honest. I wish I could have seen Grady naked, too." I leaned over and kissed him and let my hand drop to his clothed erection. He felt mine, and – well – pretty soon we were "taking care" of each other. There were no more secrets to reveal, and we were both happy as clams. Before the first week of my return to Palm Springs was over, I was already starting to dread having to return to my job in San Diego and leave Kyle again. It was clear that it was going to be a while before he was back to normal, and he was relying on me to do things for him that he had trouble doing himself. Of course, one of those things was showering. Every day we would both get naked and in the shower together, and I would lovingly wash his entire body, like Grady had. However, I'm sure I took more time than Grady did and was much more "thorough." Kyle washed my back with his "good" left hand, and even a few other "places," but he couldn't do all of me. Still, I enjoyed what he would do with that left hand – every day he was getting more adept at it and he kept me nice and hard the whole time. Sometimes we were in the shower so long that the hot water started running out. So we would wrap things up and I would dry us both with big fluffy towels. There was no need to get dressed again, since it was just he and I – and Harry the cat, who couldn't care less. Kyle and I got his home office back in shape pretty quickly, and he resumed working a few hours a day while I did the shopping, laundry, cooking, and cleaning – as much of it in the nude as I could get away with, of course! I was rather enjoying those domestic chores – they were less stressful than managing a clothing store, and they kept me close to my lover 24/7, of course – but doing them wasn't bringing in any money. And we needed it. Kyle's home-based business wasn't quite paying the bills, which were mounting up, especially with his recent medical expenses and the costs of replacing items in the house that were damaged or destroyed in the quake. So, tearfully I might add, I knew after a few days that I needed to return to my job in San Diego and live with my parents near there until Kyle and I could figure out a way to be together permanently. KYLE: I was loving having Justin back home with me during my recuperation. I don't know how I could have managed everything there was to do without him. Besides, it had been an unexpected treat to sleep with him again after we had been apart for a few weeks. But it seemed each day he was back home with me that there was a growing sadness in his demeanor. He tried to put on a good face, but I knew him well enough by now that I could tell that he was under a great deal of strain. "Justin, I think we need to talk," I said to him one evening after the kitchen cleanup was done – mostly by him, of course. As usual, we were completely naked – it had been our new norm for quite a while, and I had finally gotten comfortable with it. Of course, Justin had been comfortable with it from Day One. "You don't seem very happy, hon," I continued. "Is there anything I can say or do?" "Just hold me, sweetie. I'm just at a loss about our future. I love you so much, and the thought of leaving you again for work is getting me down. I've thought and thought about alternatives, but I don't think we have any that appeal to me. You still need help here until your cast comes off, and that'll be weeks yet." "Don't worry about me. I can manage. It won't be easy, but I'm not a complete invalid, you know." "No, but you're right-handed and you can't do anything except with your left hand." "You think I can't jack off with my left hand – is that it?" Justin finally cracked a smile. "I don't want you to have to resort to that. I can take care of that as long as I'm here." "And you do it so well! And not just with your hands, of course." We looked at each other silently for a long time after that. Justin was my life. As much as I didn't want to have to rely on his physical presence right now, I knew I did. And I think he needed me just as much as I needed him. Finally, he sighed deeply and then spoke up again, and what he said was a game changer. "I'm going to talk to my boss and see if I can get my old job back here in Palm Springs, Kyle. I know it's a step backward in my career, but I just can't see myself going back to San Diego permanently. If they'll agree to it, that is. It's the only way we can be together." "Are you sure, Justin? I hate for you to have to give up a great promotion that you've earned, just to be able to be here with me." "You're worth it, love," he said as he gave me a soulful kiss. I stood up and offered him my hand and led him to our bedroom, naked and hard – just as I did the night we first occupied it together – a night that changed our lives forever. EPILOGUE: Justin did call his boss and ask for a transfer back to Palm Springs and gave him his reasons for asking. His boss wasn't exactly pleased, but he knew it was better to keep Justin happy than demand that he return to San Diego. So he agreed. Three months after he went back to work in Palm Springs, Justin was offered a managerial position in a store in Palm Desert – a much larger one only 20 minutes east of Palm Springs. He and Kyle found a nice apartment in Cathedral City – between Palm Springs and Palm Desert – and began a new phase in their relationship – one that they could both be happy with. Kyle's business grew steadily, and soon the boys were rolling in dough again – so much so that wedding bells were the logical next step. Before they stepped out to the makeshift altar in a friend's back yard in Palm Springs, where their families and friends waited for them, Kyle took a good look at his handsome soon-to-be husband in his tux. Justin had come a long way from immodest roommate to this, and Kyle couldn't have been happier. THE END If you like this or any other story on Nifty, please do two things: 1. Let the author know – it's the only form of "payment" we get for our efforts. 2. Send a donation to Nifty for providing the stories you like to read. Thanks and virtual hugs, Damian nvtahoeus@yahoo.com