Growing Josh - 6. Chapter 6

There are scenes of unprotected sex depicted in this story. In all cases it was between the main characters, who are in a committed, monogamous relationships and were tested. If you aren't in the same kind of relationship, then you should always protect yourself and wear a condom.

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"You knock. You're enjoying this too much for me to spoil your fun."

Mitch grinned in agreement and reached up to rap his knuckles on the weathered door. He paused and his eyes sparkled when he balled up his fist and started pounding on the door instead.

"Boorman! Open the fuck'n door!" Mitch paused for a second, then let fly another series of thumps on the rattling door.

Darrin shook his head and rolled his eyes, but he was enjoying Kevin's discomfort as much as Mitch. He just didn't want to be as obvious. Mitch winked at him and pulled back his fist to pound again, but the door opened a crack just in time to stop him.

"Jeez, guys! I don't want to draw any more attention."

"Come on, Boorman. Let us in if you want help," said Mitch.

"Okay, you're right. Come on in."

The door opened enough to let them into the cheap, dingy motel room. A threadbare yellow blanket was wadded up on the bare mattress. The room had a faint stench of urine and other odors Darrin didn't want to think about. He had to admit Kevin looked traumatized, and the dingy white sheet wrapping him from neck to ankle didn't help. Darrin held out a beaten-up gym bag.

"Here. We brought a mix of clothes so something should fit. Whatever won't, just donate it to Goodwill or something, we don't need anything back."

Kevin nodded and took the bag. Without another word, he went into the bathroom, firmly closing the door behind him. Darrin studied the cinder block walls of the room painted a color obviously selected for some reason other than aesthetics, and his hearing assaulted by the wheeze of a window air conditioning unit that had seen better days. Darrin wondered why Kevin would ever agree to meet someone here.

Darrin turned at Mitch's snort to find a dressed Kevin Boorman coming out of the bathroom.

"I see you found something to wear." Darrin fought hard to keep from laughing and Mitch wasn't helping with the steady stream of chortles he was making.

"Ok, I know I look like some kind of clown. But this is all that would come close to fitting." Kevin rolled up the sleeves to a flannel shirt that looked big enough to hold Darrin and Mitch both and then tugged on the crotch of a pair of Trent's skinny jeans he'd somehow managed to get his lower half into.

Mitch snorted again. "Do you have any feeling below the waist?"

Boorman slung the bag over his shoulder, headed for the door without a backward glance and climbed in the pickup.

Once they settled into the pickup seat, Mitch twisted to looked back at Kevin. "What about your car? Do you have spare keys?"

"At the house. I can't ask anyone to bring me back though. I'll have it towed back."

"Okay, whatever works for you."

Minutes later they were rolling down the predawn rural highway, the silence in the cab deafening. Curiosity got the best of Darrin. "How the hell did you end up in that... situation."

Kevin leaned forward, and paused before he answered. "I was horny, and apparently my little head was doing all the thinking. We've been emailing for months and he'd been wanting to get together for some fun. It seemed safe, he didn't come across like some nut case."

"So you met him at the motel?"

Kevin let out a held breath. "Yeah, we'd talked about some light bondage. You know, kind of foreplay."

Mitch let out a snort that sounded like air-brakes on a semi and ended with a barking laugh. With a sheepish look on his face he glanced at Kevin. "Sorry..."

"I guess I deserve it."

"So... He stripped you and tied you down?" Darrin could not help himself, this was just too good not to drag out the details.

Kevin's face turned crimson. "Yeah, face down, spread-eagle on the bed. You know, to the corners."

Mitch tried to swallow down his laughter before he spoke, and failed miserably. "So, you were all stretched out on the bed and he robbed you?"

"Umm, not exactly. We sort of-- did it."

Darrin wiped the tear of suppressed laughter from his eyes. "So you had sex?"

"Yeah, he was sort of into leather. And was wearing--"

"No! Wait! Assless chaps! Right?" squealed Mitch, not even trying to keep from laughing hysterically.

Kevin's eyes squeezed shut and he gave a barely detectible nod. He grimaced when Mitch's peals of laughter echoed through the truck.

"Wait, wait...please tell me he had a riding crop! Oh please! It will make this trip worth it."

Darrin started feeling a little sympathetic for Kevin. "Come on, Mitch. Let it go. We don't need to know the details. Kevin's just been robbed."

"Yes, a riding crop and a black leather harness. It was fucking hot, right up to the moment he walked out with my money, keys, every stitch of clothes I had and left me tied up."

Darrin and Mitch both lost control. He pulled onto the shoulder and stopped, laughing so hard Darrin was afraid he would drive off the road. Collapsed across the wheel, he was cackling as hard as he had in months. Glancing over at Mitch to find him in a similar predicament, sagging against the door, his body shaking with mirth. After several minutes had passed Darrin took a deep breath and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"How'd you get loose?"

"I dug at the knots until I got a hand loose. I was there working at it for quite a while. His knots were pretty good. I was afraid at first that it would be housekeeping that found me tomorrow morning."

"Then you called me?"

"Yeah, like I said. I couldn't think of anyone else who would save my ass."

Darrin shook his head at the thought of their archenemy tied to a bed and robbed by a leather daddy.

"Sorry Kevin, it's just..."

"I know. Payback is a bitch, and so is karma, and both bit me hard tonight. I deserve the laughter. Actually if all you guys do is laugh about it that's a lot less than I probably deserve. You could tell the whole department and try to scuttle my career."

"We aren't going to out you. But I would suggest you get checked for STD's. I don't want to know anything else, but this guy isn't exactly someone I'd trust."

Kevin twisted his lips at the unsolicited advice. He slumped against the back seat and got a contemplative look on his face. Darrin glanced into the rearview mirror and gave him a look of concern.

"I know, you're right. I should get tested."

"Not should. You have to get tested. You've been exposed..."

Darrin could see Kevin begin to shake and hoped the enormity of the situation had finally gotten through. Because until this very moment, he had been almost relaxed about the whole incident.

"Boorman. I mean it. Promise you'll get tested. You need to know."

Darrin thought Kevin wiped at his eyes, but the interior of the pickup was dark and he couldn't be certain.

"Kevin?"

"Yes. Okay. I'll get tested. Alright?"

"Thank you. It will make me feel better, I appreciate it."

The rest of the trip was completed in relative silence, with only an occasional chuckle from Mitch.

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Mitch and Darrin walked through the door, to find Trent and Josh making breakfast. Josh waved in their direction with the turner he was holding. "Sorry, we forgot to get breakfast stuff so we came up here to eat. Want some pancakes?"

Mitch sat down and yawned, the excitement and humor of the night wearing off and just leaving exhaustion.

"Where have you been?" asked Trent as he put two more plates on the table.

"Rescuing Kevin Boorman." Darrin's face split by a yawn.

Trent froze and looked at the pair to see if they were kidding. He knew exactly who Kevin Boorman was, he had ended up on the ranch because the sheriff had caught him sucking Boorman. Trent was also the one who made Darrin's work life difficult. But neither of them seemed to be joking.

"You must be shitting me! Why would you help that asshole?"

"He called and needed help. He'd been robbed."

"Tell him to call the fuck'n cops." Trent looked from one to the other, wondering why they were helping this viper.

Mitch started chuckling. "We helped him because his dom had stripped him, tied him to the bed, whipped his ass and god only knows what else before stealing his clothes, money and keys and left him stranded in a crappy motel down by Altus."

Trent's face was struggling with barely suppressed humor. "Naked and tied down."

"Tied to the bed, yup." Mitch relayed joyfully.

"A leather daddy?"

"Pretty much what it sounded like."

"Screwed his ass."

"Well I try not to think of Boorman having sex, but we can assume."

"Robbed him after fucking him."

"Yup."

"Left him tied up and took his clothes."

"You got it."

Trent dropped into a chair and buried his face in his arms, peals of laughter erupting as his body shook.

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"What're you doing?"

Trent wiped the sweat from his face and leaned against the shovel. "Planting flowers, well actually planting anything that might survive the damn summers around here. Anne apparently had a brown thumb because there's nothing but bermuda grass around the house."

"How did we afford all this?" Josh motioned to the rows of plants spread out on the ground.

Trent stomped the shovel into the ground. "People gave 'em to me. Everyone seems to be cleaning up flower beds and they heard somehow that I wanted to plant some flowers."

Josh grinned, knowing how fast word could get around in this seemingly desolate part of Oklahoma. He well knew any news spread like wildfire in this area of widely separated ranches. He walked through the plants that were in bundles of every kind. He'd never helped Darrin with the garden, but he wanted to work with Trent.

"Looks like you have a shit ton of plants. I can help if you'd like."

Trent slowed and then stopped, eyeing Josh with a little suspicion. "Why? You've never helped before."

"It was never our house before. And it wasn't with the man I love before."

"That has a nice ring to it."

"That I love you?"

"Yeah, I know you do. You just don't say it very often." Trent pointed Josh to a large clump of iris'. "Take those and put them in that back corner. Even you can't kill an iris."

Josh hoisted the cluster of dagger-shaped leaves and moved them where Trent had indicated. He grabbed the extra shovel from the wall and quickly dug a hole in the loose soil.

"Make sure you plant them at the same level they've been growing or they'll rot."

Josh grunted in acknowledgment and pushed some of the soil back in the hole until he had everything situated.

"How's this?"

Trent stabbed his spade into the ground and walked over to check Josh's work. He evaluated everything carefully and then wrapped his arm around Josh. "You know, these will be here for a long time. Everything we're planting will come back each year."

"That's cool. So we don't have to redo this every year."

Trent chuckled and rubbed his hand over Josh's velvety hair. "Yes, lazy ass. We won't have to do this every year. It'll be a reminder of this past year."

Josh gave Trent a quizzical look and raised an eyebrow. "Why would you want to remember this last year?"

Trent held up both hands to fend off Josh's budding anger. "Now wait before you get all pissy." Trent smiled and tugged on Josh's ear. "And you almost have Darrin's eyebrow thing down pat."

"I've got you to practice it on for the rest of my life. Now, explain to me why in the hell you'd want to remember this last year."

"Well, if for no other reason than I realized you are the most important person in my life, that's enough isn't it?"

Josh leaned in and kissed Trent. "That's a good reason, but I don't know that I'd want to remember the other stuff--the bad stuff. And there was a lot of bad stuff."

"There was, starting with me leaving. Then you getting hurt. There was a lot of bad." Trent looked at Josh and felt an ominous fluttering in his stomach. "You still haven't completely forgiven me, have you?"

Josh stood still, his eye locked on the ground, and he shook his head. "I've forgiven you. But I can't just erase what happened."

Trent nodded, beginning to work again as they talked. "I can see what you're talking about. But I'm going to be working to help you erase it for the rest of our lives. Because that's how long I plan on being around."

Josh grabbed an enormous clump of ornamental grass someone had dropped off and tried to heave it into the hole Trent had dug. A strained grunt was the main result of his first attempt to move it. "Damn! That weighs a ton."

Trent chuckled and retrieved a machete from the tools he had piled to one side. The knife cut an arc above his head, slicing into the roots. After a few well placed hits, he handed the knife to Josh and worked to pry the roots apart.

"That's the other reason it's good to remember last year. I got over some of my big hangups. I don't think I'm a lightning rod for all bad things that happen."

Trent motioned Josh for the machete and started driving the sharp metal blade into the opening he'd just widened. After a few more whacks, the clump fell into two pieces. He handed the blade to Josh and wiped his face with the tail of his T-shirt. "You can cut those in half and that'll give us plenty."

Josh looked very contemplative as he cut into the grass roots. After dividing the first half, he made his first cut into the second. "You know, I didn't want to live without you. I thought it just hurt too much." Josh toyed with the blade, spinning it in his hand and then cutting into the plant again.

Trent folded his arms over his chest as he listened to Josh. "I'm sorry I made you feel like that. I was just being a selfish shit."

Josh worked on finishing the division. Once the halves fell apart, he looked up at Trent and grinning. "Yes, you were a big shit. But I have no intentions of taking it out on you any more. I meant what I told you." Josh motioned to the house. "Hell, we own a house together. How fucking insane is that?"

Trent stepped closer and ran his fingers along Josh's jaw. "It's not insane at all. I plan on living in this house, with you, for the rest of our lives."

Josh put his palms on either side of Trent's face, trapping him gently. "That sounds like a great plan to me. What else you got planned for us, stud."

Trent grinned at Josh and finished planting one of the grass clumps before he spoke. "Well, you do realized the American dream is a house, spouse and two point five kids."

Josh's eye grew to the size of saucers. "Kids! Like people kids?"

Trent laughed at Josh's qualifier. "Yes, people kids, not goat kids."

"Shit!"

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"God damn, mother fuck'n, mangy, stupid mother fuck'n asshole goats!" Trent screamed at the backsides of the herd that had just eluded them again.

"You're losing your touch, you repeated."

Trent glared at Josh, too frustrated to understand why there was humor on his face. "What?"

"You used mother fuck'n twice, usually you cuss so much better."

Trent started to snap back a reply, but recognized the humor in the situation and smiled. "Yeah, well. Hanging around a goodie-two-shoe pussy like you has taken my edge off."

"Good to know," said Josh with a grin. "Now are you ready to try to drive them again? Maybe if we weren't on horseback? I don't think the best Quarter horses in the world could drive goats, and ours aren't Quarter horses."

"My horse is as good as any fuck'n Quarter horse."

"Which wasn't even my point. Let's try it on foot with Max."

"Fine." Trent spit out, swinging his leg over the saddle and then jumping to the ground. He grabbed the reins of both horses and led them to a small grassy opening in the trees. Leaving the horses grazing, he began the long walk to circle the goats, finding Josh and Max waiting for him when he arrive.

Josh motioned Trent beside the herd and sent Max in to sweep the goats from behind. Josh moved opposite Trent, checked to see everyone was in position, and signaled Max to press the goats from behind. Josh was eager to see Max perform since he'd been working with a local handler to teach Max about herding livestock. They'd had a few chances to work with small groups of cows, but this was the first time Max and Josh had the chance to work the goats. Josh enthusiastically signaled Max to pressure the back animals of the herd.

Josh grinned as Max crept up in typical Border Collie style. The goats turned, watching Max as he crawled closer. Josh could see the dog's presence was beginning to work on the goats, they were getting restless, their ears perked toward him and the ones closest pressed against the animals further away. Josh was squirming with excitement as he whistled the signal to move the herd.

All hell broke loose.

In an instant, Josh got a graphic demonstration why you can't use herd dogs on goats. When Max charged the herd, instead of moving as a group like sheep or cattle would, they shot to the four winds. He and Trent were screaming and running as they tried to turn the fleeing goats in the direction they wanted. The pandemonium increased exponentially when Max broke training and began chasing whichever animals were closest to him, making them even less likely to cooperate.

Trent threw up his hands and stomped off, leaving the mess to Josh. Time slowed to a crawl and the number of ways a goat could demonstrate his escape skills increased with each passing second. Feeling like hours had passed and ready to give up, he heard the rattle of a bucket half-filled with feed. Trent walked past, with an ever-increasing herd of animals following him like the Pied Piper. The patchwork quilt of colors paraded in front of him and his face showed the conflicting emotions. He was thrilled the goats were finally cooperative and moving into the new pen, but he also dreaded the 'I told you so' he was going to get from Trent. He had advised against using Max, and had been right.

Josh managed to get Max back under control, and they watched the insatiable goats follow Trent. Josh hunched his shoulders in defeat and not particularly looking forward to facing Trent as he dropped in behind the final goat. Trent was many yards from the gate when Josh trailed in behind the last one and closed the gate. Josh looked up to see Trent motioning them toward him.

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Trent scanned the herd as he sprinkled the last of the bucket of grain across the ground. He wished they had started with the bribe; it just made better sense for them to entice the recalcitrant animals rather than try to force them. But he knew Josh had been excited about the possibility of having Max help move the goats.

It had been a train wreck from the beginning. First, the horses did not like the goats streaming around them and had made their unhappiness very clear. Which meant the herd had scattered several times before Josh suggested they try moving them on foot using Max. Trent had his misgivings about it, but he recognized it was one of those times when Josh was determined to do something, and come hell or high water he was going to do it.

Trent recognized the impending disaster just from the nervous way the goats were moving. He tried to keep them together, hoping he was wrong--right up to the moment they scattered into the heavy brush. He worked to try to keep some going the right direction for a few minutes before throwing his hands up in frustration. At that point Trent started back to the pickup and trailer they'd used to bring the horses.

Trent tromped across the landscape, wishing he'd done this from the beginning but knowing deep down he really couldn't have. On the walk back, bribe in hand, he thought about the last few months and the discussion they'd had the day they did the landscaping around their house. It had been good to talk it through, and Trent was sure it wouldn't be the last time. He knew they would have trouble, but he was confident they would weather the storm.

Trent had meant what he said about their lives together, for weeks he'd been carrying the ring he'd got Josh. The perfect time to propose just hadn't presented itself, and Trent knew it needed to be flawless. But he could wait, they loved their house, everything else would come in its own sweet time. It was just a matter of when.

As Trent got closer to the goats, he began shaking the feed to call them in. They soon were following him closely, all trying to stick their head in the bucket to steal some corn. Trent couldn't help but smile as the goats poured out of the brush. By the time he arrived at the elusive gate, he was fairly certain they were all following him. As he went through, he walked backward for a few steps and caught a metalic glint on the horn of one of the yearling does. But then she disappeared into the herd.

Once he thought the entire flock was in the new pasture, Trent began sprinkling feed in a long stream across the ground. The goats pounced on the grain and all were soon eating. He caught an odd glimmer again, and realized a young female had managed to get something caught on her horn. Looking up, he saw Josh and motioned him over.

"Something's on her horn. We need to catch her and cut it off."

Josh looked around. "Any suggestions?"

"How is Max at cornering one animal?"

Josh grinned. "Which one?"

Trent scanned the herd again and spotted the diminutive black and white female on its edge. "That one."

Josh whistled a series of commands to Max and he soon had her separated from the others. But the boys quickly discovered separating her and catching her were two very different things.

Josh looked up from the ground where his last diving attempt at catching her had left him. "Any other suggestions?"

"Got a rope?"

"Damn it! Of course, I'll be right back." Josh sprinted across the pasture as quickly as he could to find the horses who were grazing and the lariat he'd put over his saddlehorn this morning. In a handful of minutes, he had returned and had rope in hand. He swung the loop over his head and tossed it, only to see her jump through the closing loop.

"Well fuck!" yelled Josh.

A series of attempts followed, until chance was finally on Josh's side, and he managed to catch her. They dove on the small animal and soon had her immobilized. Josh was fishing his rope off her when he heard a gasp from Trent.

"Oh god, it can't be..."

"Why? What's wrong?"

Trent pointed to the small band of metal circling the goat's tiny horn. Josh leaned in closer and then let out a tight gasp. "It can't be! A tornado couldn't do something this slap ass crazy, could it?"

"I've heard of tornado's driving straw into posts, but this is just freaky," said Trent with a smile, "But I think that's your ring, well my ring, oh you know what I mean."

"The ring...yeah I think so too. Can we get it off?"

"Yeah, give me your knife. I think I can work it off."

Trent spent the next few minutes gently scrapping the horn. After several minutes of working on the squirming animal, it popped loose. Holding it tight in his fist, he released the goat and watched her go skittering off toward the other animals. He turned to Josh and slowly unfurled his hand.

Josh moved toward Trent like he was a skittish colt and with a shaking hand he lifted the offered ring. Tilting it in the bright sunlight, he could barely make out the inscription through the network of scratches imparted on the soft gold.

"To my husband, Trent" Josh read aloud.

Trent thought to himself, if this were a movie, there would be violins and every other indication this was the right time. Since they were both already kneeling, it didn't quite meet all the restrictions Josh had given him, but Trent thought it would still be okay.

Turning slightly so he was on both knees, but looking directly into Josh's eyes, Trent pulled the ring from his pocket. Threading it over his pinkie, he held it up to Josh and smiled as tears started down his face.

"Josh, will you marry me?"

Josh looked shocked, his mouth moved but no words emerged. Eventually he stopped trying to speak and just nodded and held out his left hand. Trent started to slide it onto Josh's hand, but paused. He flipped the ring so Josh could see the interior.

"Read it."

Josh looked carefully, tilting the ring to catch the light. He was touched, but not terribly surprised. It read, 'To my husband, Josh'.

"You goof. Put it on my finger." The pristine gold band slid up to his knuckle, and then with a little pressure popped on. Josh held it up like a new bride, happiness beaming from him.

Trent waited a few minutes, letting things settle. "Well?"

"Well what?" asked Josh.

"I don't have my ring?" Trent grinned at his husband.

"But it's all scratched up and a little lopsided. Let me get it fixed."

"Don't you dare. That ring is just like me, a little scuffed and out of round."

Josh smiled and without another word slid the ring onto Trent's finger. "Yes, I will marry you. Will you marry me?"

"I'd think that would sort of be obvious for a college boy. Yes, of course I'll marry you."

Josh grabbed Trent and pressed their lips hard against each other. Trent could feel his muscles tense from the sensations, holding Josh tight in his arms. The heat of the moment flooded his system and his cock began to stiffen. A moan escaped his lips as Josh gripped his ass and squeezed it tight. Before he could lose himself in what he was doing, Trent pushed back slightly from Josh. He gave Josh a light kiss on the tip of his nose and then for good measure groped his crotch and found his cock as swollen as his own.

"Babe, as much as I'd love to fuck you silly out here. I think we need to get the horses and Max and get everything home. Then we can see about a celebration fuck."

"Is it going to make me squeal?"

"Guaranteed!"

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Trent looked at the envelope with a return address of Ketchikan, Alaska and felt a mixture of joy and dread. After weeks of searching, he had found a man he thought was his father's uncle. Trent had been lucky and gotten help from Sheriff White Cloud's friend from college. Tony was Hiada and had used his tribal connections to help Trent in his search.

He had taken the information and carefully crafted a letter to the person Tony thought was his great-uncle, but there was no way of telling if this person even knew his dad. Trent was so young when he'd died that he didn't remember much about his Hiada background, or relatives.

Josh walked up behind him and started rubbing his shoulder. "Go ahead, it's not going to get any better, or worse, from waiting."

"I know, but if this guy says he's never heard of my dad, then..."

"Then you're no worse than you were before."

Trent twisted his head and pulled Josh in for a kiss. "True. Let's open it."

Josh pulled Trent down to the step and laid his hand across Trent's shoulders. "Go ahead. It can't be any worse than the worst you've already imagined."

Trent looked at the letter, and tears started rolling down his cheeks. He looked into Josh's eyes when he patted Trent's back.

"It's not that big of a deal. No matter what they think, I still love you," said Josh.

Trent turned to him, tears now dripping from his chin. "No, it's good. They've been trying to find me since they found out Dad died. They were right behind me for years, until I disappeared off the map when I ran away from the last foster home."

Trent held up a plane ticket. "They want me to come visit. They said they're having some kind of party." Trent glanced down to see the word. "A potlatch*..." Trent looked at Josh, who shrugged.

"Never heard of it, but I don't know a whole lot about tribes out of Oklahoma."

"Well, they sound excited about it."

Josh nodded, hiding his disappointment that he wasn't going with Trent.

"We'll have fun, regardless. I can't wait to take my white boy husband to meet my relatives."

Josh glanced at Trent's face. "I'm going?"

"Of course you are. Why wouldn't you?"

"Well, for one thing they didn't send me a ticket. And the second thing, do they know you're..."

"Two-spirit?"

Josh grinned. "Yeah, two-spirit."

"Oh yeah, they were fine I'm gay."

"Really? Well that's good."

"And so far as the plane ticket, I'm buying it for you."

"I can get my own. I just didn't know if I was welcome."

"Josh, don't fuck with me about this, I'm getting your ticket. And if you're not welcome, then I'm not staying."

"Ok..." said Josh, looking more than a little hesitant.

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Mitch lay under the sheet, his foot sticking out into the air as Darrin fussed over his clothes.

"You realized that they give tenure to people who go into the meeting wearing spurs and smelling like cow shit."

"And those people are so straight they can barely handle their own dick, much less someone else's." Darrin pointed out.

Mitch chuckled and slid the sheet between his legs. "Yeah, what was the guys name last year who got it and had a ton of kids."

"Evans. Oh god, he has five girls. If we're a sausage fest here, he's whatever is the opposite."

"A clam bake? A taco convention?"

"Eww! Stop it, that's just nasty."

Mitch laughed and laid back against the bed, stretching and pushing the sheet off his bare body. The sight in front of him was enough to make Darrin want nothing more than climb back into bed with Mitch and enjoy making love with his husband all day long. He was still the most handsome man he'd ever seen and he'd like nothing better than to spend the day screwing his hairy butt. But today he was making his case for getting tenure. He'd already submitted his materials to the personnel office, now it was a matter of convincing a bunch of conservative good-ole-boys that they wanted to give an out and proud fag a permanent job.

Ok, no one here had ever called him a fag, at least not to his face, but he still worried. Boorman had been very quiet since he and Mitch had rescued him from the date gone bad. But Darrin still wouldn't put it past him to try and cause trouble. The agony of preparing for this day had been going on for months. There was no way he could be any more ready than he was right now. He gathered the rest of his papers from where he'd left them the night before and carefully slid them into his messenger bag.

Adjusting the strap over his chest, he leaned in to give Mitch a goodbye kiss. The strong aroma of Mitch's morning scent curled through Darrin's nostrils and caused his cock to stiffen. Mitch gave him a sharp tug on the strap and Darrin tumbled into bed on top of Mitch.

"Damnit, Mitch! I was ready to go!"

Mitch grabbed his crotch and squeezed his semi-hard dick. "It feels almost ready to go to me."

He put his hand in the middle of Mitch's chest and pushed himself up. "Behave. Besides, the toddlers could show up any minute now."

"Oh yeah, they were coming to help me weren't they." Mitch rolled to the edge of the bed and then made his way to the bathroom.

Darrin watched through the doorway as Mitch's hairy butt clenched with each step until he stopped in front of the toilet and the crashing sound of his morning piss started. Darrin quickly gathered the rest of what he needed, and checked his hair in the mirror, finishing just as Mitch walked out of the bathroom, his plump cock arching over his dangling balls. He grabbed a pair of jeans from the closet, tugged them over his bare ass and then carefully zipped them shut.

A very familiar set of arms wrapped around Darrin's torso. "You're going to do fine. You've worked hard to get tenure."

Giving Mitch another kiss, Darrin allowed himself the luxury of running his hand over Mitch's hairy chest. "You're going to be here for dinner, right? I may need someone to pickup the pieces."

"I'm here, and I'll cook."

Darrin's eyebrows shot up and his mouth twitched.

"Ok, I'll get it from the cafe."

Darrin swatted Mitch's ass and headed for the door. As he went through, he shot back, "I want coconut cream pie too. Lots of pie."

Mitch chuckled and waved him out.

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Darrin sat in the chair, trying not to squirm as his nerves grew more and more raw. The meeting was dragging on as always, but his entire career never had hung in the balance before. He did not have any interest in the reports on the training status of the various labs through the department, which was one of the more interesting part of the reports.

Finally the endless minutia that is academia ended, the director cleared his throat, and in the same monotonal delivery named off the people who were up for review, ending with Darrin.

Darrin sat quietly, his nerves frayed beyond belief as the seemingly endless stream of colleagues gave their presentations. He knew he should be more focused, what they were doing was just as important to them as his presentation was to him. But he couldn't do it, today the focus just wasn't there. The afternoon droned on until Darrin could understand how a trapped animal could chew off it's own leg to escape a trap.

"Darrin, you're up." Darrin almost shot through the ceiling, his nerves so worn he couldn't have lasted much longer. But he thought about Mitch, who would kick his ass if he didn't give it his all, and began.

The next twenty minutes raced like a Formula V car. Darrin covered each requirement in detail, showing chart, table and graph to drive home his point. After a few introductory slides, he dropped into his comfort zone as an instructor and began to deliver it like no presentation he'd done in the past.

The minutes rolled past and Darrin concluded the talk with a flourish, knowing he had delivered on his promise to do his best. The questions came, as he knew they must, and he answered each one with a thoroughness that had even Emma smiling. The director stood and looked around the room. "If there are no further questions, I'll ask Darrin to step out while we discuss his application for tenure."

"Excuse me, but I'd like to make my comments before he leaves."

Darrin turned at the sound of a voice he knew, Boorman.

"Ok, Kevin. If you'd like. I'll give you the floor."

Darrin wasn't sure what to expect, he had hoped they were over the battle, but he couldn't be certain. He braced himself for the worst, and hoped for the best as Boorman started.

"I give Darrin my enthusiastic endorsement. As he has clearly demonstrated, he is a prolific researcher and a popular and caring teacher. If he were to be denied tenure it would be the biggest mistake this university has ever made."

As Kevin sat back down, Darrin did something he thought he would never do in his lifetime. He smiled at Kevin Boorman.

<><><>

Darrin carried the sealed envelope in like it was a dead rat. He'd found it in his faculty mailbox in the late afternoon and wasn't sure he wanted to open it at the office, in case it was bad news. He already knew his recommendation from the department had been positive, but it had to be approved by administration. Darrin realized he always was looking at the dark side, and honestly there was no reason he shouldn't get the promotion. But doubts still hovered in his mind. He walked into the kitchen, dropped his bag on the counter and walked toward Mitch, who was doing paperwork.

Mitch looked up and grinned at Darrin. "Hey, babe. How was your day?"

"It came." Darrin held out the official notice to Mitch.

"Well? What did it say?"

"I don't know. I didn't open it yet. I needed a little moral support."

"Well, you have it. Open that sonna bitch!"

The letter opener from Mitch's desk made quick work of the envelope and Darrin had the letter in his hand reading it. With a smile he turned it over to Mitch, who skimmed through it quickly.

"Well there's what I was looking for. 'Have received tenure'. The magic words we've been working five years for."

Mitch let out a whoop, grabbed Darrin and held him tight. Darrin made a token attempt to calm Mitch, but was actually ecstatic at Mitch's reaction.

"We're having a party. Tonight! I'm calling all our friends, and the boys."

"Babe, it's kinda short notice. They won't want to come out here."

Mitch gave a mischievous grin. "Oh yes they will. I've been planning this for months. I just need to make a couple of calls."

An hour later found them with a house full of friends. The food and drink had miraculously appeared and everyone had a filled plate in one hand and a drink in the other. Mitch walked up and clinked his beer bottle against Darrin's.

"Good job, college."

Darrin leaned in and kissed Mitch's cheek. "Thanks, babe. For putting up with me."

Mitch let out a deep chuckle and then took a swig of beer. "It was a two-way street. You were always there when I needed you. This last year has really been a bitch."

"It has, but when you fell down the embankment it wasn't good either."

"No, but we're still here. So I guess we're lucky."

"Or stubborn." Darrin chuckled and spun Mitch and pushed him toward the crowd. "Come on, we have guests to entertain."

That began a very enjoyable evening of drinking and conversation. Everyone expressed their happiness at Darrin's tenure, but none of them were surprised. As the food began to dwindle, and the night grew late, the guests began to say their goodbyes.

Emma appeared at his side, clasping Darrin on the shoulder and squeezing it. "Was all the stress worth it?"

Darrin was grinning. "It's pretty amazing. Yes, it was worth it."

She chuckled and patted him again. "Just don't get lazy now that you have tenure."

Darrin was beginning to feel the effects of the booze and almost managed a giggle. "No worries, Mitch would kill me if I started slacking off at this point."

Emma gave him a peck on the cheek. "As well he should. Enjoy today, it's not going to be perfect from here out but at least you've managed that first big hurtle."

"Yes, ma'am. Thank you for all the help too."

"Posh! I didn't do much. Just a few well placed kicks when you needed it."

Mitch had wandered to the group after he'd seen the last of the other guests out. He was still chuckling at the kicks comment when Emma tapped him on the cheek.

"Don't get smart there, mister. You need him to keep you in line too."

"Yup, you're right."

"Of course I am. Now go, celebrate with each other."

Mitch winked at Emma. "Oh, I plan to do just that."

Emma grinned and followed Mitch to the door. With hugs all around, Mitch and Darrin said goodbye to the last couple, and walked back into their empty living room.

"You know, its been a long time since we have had a night alone. We haven't taken advantage of it with me being so stressed for the past several months."

Mitch let his hands trail down Darrin's back, grabbed his ass with both hands and squeezed tight. "And just what are you proposing, stud."

"I was thinking about fucking your ass until you walk funny tomorrow. I was thinking we could try out every horizontal surface in this house and see how it is to fuck on them."

"So let me get this right. You want to stick your fat hard dick, into my tight hairy hole, using as many places in this house as possible."

"Yup!"

Mitch smiled and grabbed the bottom of his shirt and yanked it apart, the snaps sounding like a machine gun burst in the quiet house. "You better get busy then. Cause my ass is all twitchy about getting fucked."

Darrin unbuttoned his shirt, rippled his shoulders and then let it fall to the floor behind him. He reached out and grabbed Mitch by the crotch and pulled him in tight. His other hand slid inside the back of Mitch's jeans, as always he enjoyed the texture of his ass. His fingers drifted downward until he found Mitch's tight pucker and rubbed his finger across it.

"Oh, that feels nice."

Darrin pulled Mitch tight against him, and let out a low rumble. "Just wait, nice isn't what I have in mind."

"Oh my, is the big bad college professor going to fuck his rancher husband."

Darrin rammed his dry finger inside Mitch's ass. "Damn straight I am!"

"Oh fuck! For god's sake use some lube!"

Darrin bit down on Mitch's neck, sinking his teeth in as he sucked on the spot, wanting to mark Mitch as his again. "What if I want to just fuck your ass?"

Mitch bent his neck, giving Josh full access. "Whatever you want, college. Whatever you want."

Mitch let out a growl and grabbed Darrin's face, crushing their lips against each other, his tongue demanding entry into Darrin's mouth. Soon their tongues were warring and Darrin's passion was overwhelming. He grabbed Mitch's arm, lifted it high over his head and pressed his face into the dark hair covering his arm pits. The strong, slightly rank, musk washed over Darrin. The raw masculinity was overpowering as he wound his way around his man's body. Once he had filled his senses with Mitch scent, he pulled out of his pits, licking the residue from his lips.

"You make me so fucking hot. God, you're sexy."

Darrin pulled Mitch over to the sofa and pushed him over the overstuffed arm. He wormed his hands under Mitch, unbuttoning his jeans and then tugging them and his underwear down to his thighs. His hands opened Mitch's meaty crack, overwhelmed with desire as always. The darkly furred trench was one of Mitch's best features so far as Darrin was concerned.

In an instant, Darrin rammed his face into Mitch's ass, his tongue burrowing inside as his hands frantically touched every bit of Mitch he could reach. Grabbing his ass in a tight grip, he pulled it open as he ate out Mitch's hairy ass. Reduced to mews and gasps, Darrin loved how his man responded to him. He pulled back and swatted Mitch's ass.

"How about it cowboy. You ready to get fucked?"

"Anytime you touch me I'm ready."

Darrin reached under the couch with a smile on his face, which froze. Moving lower, he swept his hand under the couch, trying to find the bottle of lube they normally kept there.

"You know they took it, right?"

"What?" Darrin was frantically searching.

"The lube you're looking for. Mutt and Jeff took it. They fuck like bunnies now that things are back to normal. And they found your careful stashes of lube."

"God damnit!" Darrin stood, pushing himself against Mitch. He stomped to the bedroom, back in an instant and looked up to see Mitch grinning at him.

"What?"

"Well, I'm laying across the couch, my wet ass stuck up in the air while you stomp around all pissed off because our sons stole our lube, and your boner is still pushing out your jeans like you have a fence post in there."

Darrin slowed down and then chuckled as he walked to Mitch's ass again. He filled his hand and smeared the gel over Mitch's crack, causing the hair to matt down even further. Then he thrust two slick fingers deep inside of Mitch, hitting his sweet spot with the first thrust.

Darrin pulled back, giving his dick a thick coating of lube before putting the slick head against Mitch's pucker and pushing. His well worked hole opened effortlessly and Darrin eased into Mitch's ass. In spite of his hedonistic performance tonight, he didn't want to cause real injury.

Pausing to allow Mitch to adjust, he pulled almost out before pushing rapidly back inside. Darrin's pace increased with each pass until his ass was a blur as he pounded Mitch's gut.

"Fuck!" Mitch's body roiled, humping against the couch as Darrin slammed into him. Darrin smile evilly and pulled out.

"What the fuck! I was about to nut."

"I know. That's why I pulled out. It's all about me."

Mitch chuckled. "You asshole. Well you only get tenure once. What's next, kinky boy."

"Strip."

Mitch pushed himself up, shoved the pants down to his ankles and stepped out of them. He grinned, then snaked his hand back and slid two fingers inside. Mitch's eyes rolled up and his moans began again as his fingers plowed into his own butt.

Darrin leered at Mitch and moved to where he could watch him finger fuck himself. Darrin slowly stroked his aching cock, incredibly turned on by the sight of his manly husband performing for his benefit. But Darrin wasn't interested in just watching tonight.

Moving behind Mitch, he shoved him forward, aimed his dripping cock at Mitch's well opened hole, and slammed himself inside.

"Fuck. Direct hit captain!"

Darrin chuckled at Mitch but clamped his hands on his waist and slammed into his gut. The noises coming from Mitch were building in volume, as they neared their shared climax. Mitch's body tensed, locking him in place as he began shooting. His moans and indecipherable speech punctuated the stripes of cum across the living room floor.

Darrin caressed each inch of Mitch's body. The vice-like grip surrounding his cock slowly abated. As Mitch released him, Darrin started sliding into his gut. The heat and friction pushed Darrin to the edge. He thrust wildly, pounding Mitch as his orgasm rolled over him.

Darrin's toes gripped the floor as the first pulse of cum shot out of his cock. His body shook with release while his cock filled Mitch's ass with cum. Darrin let out a final grunt of pleasure, and rocked back off his toes.

"Oh damn, that was good."

A smirk covered Mitch's face when he looked over his shoulder at Darrin. "Good? Good! I pay for 8 years of college and the best word you've got in your big head is good?"

Darrin ran his hands slowly over Mitch's back and chuckled. "Let see... how about fantastic, stupendous, earth shattering, mind blowing, amazing, or maybe superlative."

"Superlative?" Mitch started laughing.

"Yes, superlative. A perfectly acceptable choice. And when I move your ass to the table and fuck it again it will be superlative also."

"I'm not sure about your fancy word, but fucking on the table sounds fun. And yes, I can use fun for my description. I only have a lowly masters degree."

Darrin grabbed Mitch under the arms, helped him off the side of the couch, maneuvered him to the table, and pushed him backward until he was sprawled across it.

He slid his hands under Mitch's thighs and pushed them forward. He planted small kisses down the backs of his thighs until he arrived at Mitch's ass.

"My, this looks well used!"

"Smartass. Get busy making me feel good."

"Ten-four, roger that."

Before Mitch could respond, Darrin plunged his tongue into Darrin's gaping ass and started licking the residue from their first session. Soon both of them were well on their way to their second climax of the evening.

<><><>

"Fuck!"

"What?" Mitch tried to focus on what had Darrin upset as he struggled to wake up. While Darrin scrabbled off him, Mitch twisted in his sleep induced haze, and fell off the couch.

"Come on! Can't you hear them?"

"What? Fuck! What's going on?"

"The boys are here, and we fell asleep after fucking everywhere in the house. Shit! That's them!"

Mitch pushed himself up, laughing as Darrin ran for the bedroom. Mitch shrugged, grabbed a pillow from the couch, clamped it against his crotch, and strolled to the bedroom.

They need to learn to knock, or they might get surprises, thought Mitch.

Mitch was sauntering to the bedroom when they burst into the kitchen.

"Holy fuck! I'm not hungry now. The last thing I wanted to see was your hairy ass.'

"Last time I saw it, Josh's ass was pretty hairy, and you never seem to lose your appetite for it." Mitch shot back over his shoulder.

"It smells like sex in here too," said Josh.

Mitch paused and looked back as he hid all but his upper chest behind the bedroom door. "Really? Hmm. You might want to wipe the counter off with bleach before you fix breakfast on it."

"Ewww!" squealed Josh.

Mitch chuckled as he closed the door.

<><><><><>

* A potlatch is a traditional gift giving celebration of the indigenous people of the northwest coast of North America. They were outlawed in both Canada and the United State until the mid-1900's due to missionary influence.