Forest Service Summer - 3. Chapter 3

Wednesday, July 5, 1967

"Doing anything exciting today?"

The question came from Logan's roommate, Carl, who was dressing for work. Sitting on the edge of his bed in his BVDs, Logan yawned and rubbed his eyes.

"I'm gonna lay out in the sun and relax this morning. This afternoon, I'm river tubing from Beaver Creek to The Rock with a fifteen-year-old kid."

"Cool. It's nice the recreation assistant gets to do some recreating himself. Or is this another free baby-sitting job for a mom who wants her city kid off her hands for a while?"

Logan winced. "Yeah, Clueless Clifford was a challenge. He'd have drowned without supervision. This time it's a local kid. I like him. I think it'll be fun. It's hard to find a recreation companion when you're this far out in the woods and your days off are in the middle of the week."

"I hear you. You take advantage of what comes along. Have a good time."

"Thanks. Sorry you have to work."

Carl smiled. "I slept all day yesterday. I didn't have to go back and do my job over again."

Logan smiled back. "Fuck you too."

Carl laughed. "We had it easy. One small tree to cut down and some minor cleanup. Then we screwed around for a while before coming back so they'd think we'd really done some work. From what Gary said, you dropped that tree like a pro. Congratulations."

"Thanks, I appreciate that. It was an educational experience, for sure."

Logan got up and dressed too. If he wanted breakfast, he needed to be there at seven o'clock with everyone else.

As he lay on the lawn relaxing in the sun, Logan reflected on the day he'd spent with Clueless Clifford. Particularly the grassy meadow they'd found about a mile down the river from the campground. He smiled to himself. Carl was right - you take advantage of what comes along, sometimes in more ways than one. There were a few things Clifford wasn't clueless about anymore.

************

At noon, shirtless and dressed in cutoffs and Keds, Logan stopped at the motor pool and inflated his own oversize truck inner tube. Tossing it into the bed of his pickup, he drove to the campground. Hazel waved him down as he passed campsite ten.

"Danny's waiting for you at the day-use parking lot. He's excited about doing this. If you haven't figured it out yet, he likes you a lot. I plan to pick you up at The Rock. Would you join us for dinner again when you get back?"

"I'd be happy to have dinner with you again, thank you. But don't bother picking us up. Catching a ride back is easy."

"Okay, then I'll see you both when you get here."

Logan drove to the day use area and parked. Danny stood by the river waiting, a big grin on his face. Logan was barely out of his pickup before Danny was in the water, floating downstream. Logan quickly grabbed his tube and headed for the river.

"Hey, wait up, buddy!"

He tossed his tube into the river and jumped on top. It took a minute to catch up with Danny.

"What's your hurry? We've got all afternoon."

Danny grinned. "I don't wanna waste a minute of it."

The river was cold, but the tube rode high enough to stay out of the water. The black color absorbed the solar energy too well, so the boys alternated riding on top and floating semi-submerged in the center of the tube.

Logan loved this summer activity - the sound of the water rushing over the rocks, the warmth of the sun contrasting with the cold of the water, the scent of pine trees warming in the sun, the sound of the ravens calling above. It was a sensory experience to be savored. He looked at Danny, who was watching him with a wide grin. Logan smiled back. Perhaps Danny enjoyed those things too, but what he obviously enjoyed most was being with Logan, if only for an afternoon.

As they entered a deep pool, Logan flipped Danny's inner tube, dumping him into the cold water. The friendly wrestling match that followed ended when they realized their tubes were about to leave the pool and float away in the fast current.

Danny got ahead and pulled off onto a small rocky island. By the time Logan arrived, the younger boy had pulled a knife out of his pocket and was using it on the surface of a beached log.

"What are you doing?"

"Carving our initials."

"Why are you doing that?"

Danny grinned happily. "'Cause every time I come here again, I wanna look at it and remember today."

Logan smiled to himself. He'd become used to kids who wanted to follow The Ranger around while he did his duties in the campgrounds, but this was different. A genuine friendship was developing. He liked this kid, and it was clear the feeling was shared.

He took a closer look at the results of Danny's carving and smiled at the heart around the initials. Grace Slick was singing in his head, asking him again if he didn't need somebody to love.

The afternoon went by quickly - and quietly - as a companionship that didn't require conversation evolved. These were two boys with something in common, and something that made them different from most. They both knew it, and understood each other.

The Rock was a large basalt outcropping that stood next to a deep pool in the river. Logan and Danny stepped out of the river and carried their tubes up the steep rocky embankment to the road. Climbing onto the rock outcropping, where a few other teens stood around talking, they dove the twenty feet into the pool. Surfacing, they grinned at each other, now sharing the joy of a simple but exciting adrenaline rush.

Logan had a nodding acquaintance with a couple of the boys, having given them rides once or twice in his own truck. Being local, Danny must have known them, but there was no interaction. As Danny climbed to the edge to dive in again, Logan overheard one of the boys comment quietly.

"Queer bait."

It wasn't the time or place to start a fight, but Logan took note of the individual in question. The guy would look elsewhere for rides in the future.

When Danny had his fill of diving, the two stuck out their thumbs. It took about five minutes to get a ride. Any local with a pickup would stop for river tubers.

************

Back at the campground, the boys sat at the picnic table. Danny, his shyness gone, shared their adventure with Hazel. Logan listened in amused silence. The younger boy appreciated the same things he did, and Logan enjoyed how eloquently his new friend told the tale. When Danny mentioned the carving of their initials, Hazel gave Logan an I-told-you-so smile.

Logan went to use the restroom, and when he returned, Hazel took him aside again.

"Danny would like you to spend the night here with him."

"That's okay with you and Harvey?"

"Very much so. We want to encourage him to make friendships like this."

"That'll be fun, but I'll have to go to the Work Center and get my sleeping bag."

"He has a double bag. You can share it with him if you like."

"Sure, if it will work for him."

Her eyes twinkled as she smiled. "I know damn well it will work for both of you."

After dinner, the four of them played crazy eights. When darkness fell, Harvey lit a Coleman gas lantern, and they continued the game. Somewhere around ten, Harvey and Hazel said goodnight and headed for their tent. Harvey had to get up early for work. As they left, he handed the cards and their box to Logan.

"Please put these away for me, if you would. I'm having trouble getting them in."

Logan looked into the box. Something was stuck in the bottom. He shook the box, and a sample-size tube of K-Y Jelly fell out - a product that was still available only by prescription. He wondered which of the others put it there. Pocketing it with a smile, he put the cards away.

Danny shut off the lamp. As the glow from the mantle slowly faded away, the two boys sat side by side in the darkness, looking at the river. Danny hesitantly took Logan's hand.

"I like to sit here and watch the river at night."

For a few moments, Logan listened to the sound of the river rushing by and watched the reflection of the moonlight on the water. He squeezed Danny's hand.

"I can see why. It's a beautiful spot. I like it too."

Logan put an arm around Danny and pulled him close.

"Thanks for suggesting the float trip today. I loved every minute of it."

Danny rested his hand on Logan's leg, moving the tips of his fingers over it ever so lightly. For several minutes they watched the scene in silence. Danny sighed.

"I could stay here forever with you."

Logan gave Danny a gentle kiss. "Same here, except with no shirt, I'm starting to get cold."

Danny paused for a few moments. "I like to sleep naked. Do you?"

The comment could have been casual, but Logan didn't think it was.

"Yeah, I usually sleep naked. Would it make you happy if we did that together tonight?"

Danny smiled softly. "Yeah, it'd make me very happy."

************

Hand in hand, Logan and Danny walked to the tent in the woods. It was officially a four-person dome tent, which meant it was comfortable for two.

Crawling into the tent, they stripped and lay side by side on top of the sleeping bag, holding hands. Danny leaned up on one elbow and hesitantly touched Logan's chest with his other hand, doubt in his dark eyes. Logan pulled him close and kissed him, gently stroking his back.

"Don't be bashful, buddy. I won't break."

Grinning happily, Danny climbed on top of Logan and kissed him back, grinding his boner against Logan's hard abs and playfully pinning his arms over his head. Logan let the boy have his fun for a minute or so. Then, with a devilish grin, he easily reversed their positions. As a happily-squealing Danny struggled beneath him, Logan rubbed their trapped poles together and kissed him with increasing intensity.

Danny's hesitation was long gone. For several minutes, the boys twisted and squirmed together, their hands exploring each other's body, their arousal growing rapidly.

Now, with Danny pinned firmly to the sleeping bag, Logan looked into his eyes.

"You know what I wanna do, don't you?"

"Yeah, and I want you to do it."

"You're sure?"

"Yeah, I'm sure."

Sitting back on his heels, Logan reached for the lubricant he'd anonymously been provided with. When he was ready, he leaned forward on his forearms and hesitated. Did Danny really want to do this? Looking up with a mischievous grin, the younger boy quickly answered his unspoken question.

"Don't be bashful, buddy. I won't break."

Logan laughed out loud. "Smart ass."

Danny sucked in his breath and moaned softly as Logan penetrated him and slowly pushed inside. Logan leaned down and kissed him.

"Was that unbashful enough for you?"

Danny grinned. "Yeah, but don't stop now."

Logan grinned back. "Don't worry. I just got started. Have you done this before?"

"Nope. You're the first guy who's shown this much interest in me."

Logan gave him another kiss. "You deserve the interest, buddy."

Slowly, Logan began to establish a rhythm he knew he could maintain for a while. Danny's hands grasped the sleeping bag tightly.

"Oh, Jesus!"

"I'm Logan, not Jesus. I thought this was your first time."

"Now who's the smart ass?" Danny's body shivered with excitement. "How long can you do this?"

"Long enough to make us both cum."

"How do you know that?"

"I've done it before once or twice."

"More than that, I bet."

Logan smiled. "Maybe."

As Logan's steady rhythm continued, Danny's sexual excitement grew. Logan watched with a smile at the look of amazement that grew on the younger boy's face.

"Oh, yes!"

Logan felt Danny's jizz ricochet off his stomach. He grinned.

"How was that?"

"Oh, fuck! I never felt anything like it. Are you gonna cum now?"

"Pretty soon."

It took a couple more minutes. When he was finished, he leaned over and gave Danny a tender kiss.

"How was that for your first time, buddy?"

"Awesome!"

"We can do it again later if you want to."

Danny grinned. "Oh, yeah! I want to!"

Logan pulled out and rolled over on his back. He found Danny's hand and squeezed it.

"Thanks, buddy. That was a hell of a lot of fun."

Danny leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"Thank you for making my first time so cool."

Danny was silent for a long time, and Logan began to wonder if the younger boy was having second thoughts about what he'd done.

"Something on your mind?"

Danny was silent for a few moments longer.

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Logan turned on his side. Grinning mischievously, he repeated a quote he'd heard a little earlier.

"Nope. You're the first guy who's shown this much interest in me."

Danny laughed. "Smart ass. You're a lying piece of shit. I wish you meant it?"

Logan ran his hand lovingly through the younger boy's hair.

"Lots of guys have shown interest in me, Danny, but not the boyfriend kind of interest. You're the first one who matters."

"Do you really, honestly mean that?"

"Yes, buddy, I really, honestly mean that."