Don't Look Back - 18. Chapter 18 (4.3)

Marshall loaded the back of the beat-up old black pick-up with their fishing gear. Although the sedan was better for going out of town, the Chevy truck was their ride around town. He loaded the coolers, too: one for the beer and food they’d pick up, and one for any fish they might catch—they always caught fish, that was a given. And oh the things Lee could do with them. Made the mouth water.

Of course, he didn’t forget the blanket. Or the lube. Could never be too careful.

They stopped by the grocery store to pick up lunch. Lee liked to tease Marshall that the girl who worked in the deli had a crush on him. Marshall claimed that was just Lee’s excuse to make Marshall place their order. Although it was true she usually added a little something extra for good measure. Marshall said she did it for the both of them, but Lee only laughed. Besides, not like the whole damn town didn’t know they were together, so how could she not know he was unavailable? They never hid that from anyone, and they were accepted for who they were by everyone.

All right, maybe they didn’t know everything, but they didn’t need to. Folks in Burnham didn’t pry. Even so, they were a close-knit community where it counted.

As they were checking out, Marshall noticed Lee’d picked up something that didn’t quite go with the rest of their selections. He gave Lee a skeptical look.

“What?”

“What’s that for?” He motioned to the bear-shaped bottle, just before the girl put it into a bag.

“It’s honey,” Lee replied helpfully. “You know, the stuff that comes out of bee hives?”

The checker snickered. Marshall scowled, even as Lee assumed his smart-ass face.

As if to atone for her laugh, the checker added, “Honey’s good for both baking and cooking. My daughter loves it on her peanut butter sandwich.” She gave him a wide smile, and Marshall couldn’t help but return that smile.

When he looked back at Lee, Lee’s only comment was, “You’ll find out,” which told Marshall nothing, so he gave up trying.

They picked up some bait from Jose’s stand, exchanged a little chitchat with Jose, and invited him to come down and fish with them sometime. He said he would and wished them luck.

The pond was at the far end of their property—far enough it was easier to take the truck than walk there—and it’s where they did most of their fishing. It was big enough to take a small boat. They had a two-seat aluminum jon boat they kept under a tarp by the pond. Sometimes they liked to spend a lazy afternoon in the boat, poles in the water, relaxing together. Roy liked to join them when he could.

Today, though, they were going to stick to the shore.

There were some good-sized bass in the pond, as well as a family of ducks who liked to squawk at the two men for invading its territory, but they weren’t averse to eating the popcorn or bread that was thrown their way by those same two men, either.

Marshall and Lee carried everything from the truck to their usual spot beneath the jacaranda tree that grew near the pond. Planted by a previous owner, it was a good twenty feet tall, and even now was covered in bluish-purple blossoms. Marshall spread out the blanket while Lee straightened out the tackle. By the time he was done, Marshall was lying on top of the blanket, naked, beside the thermos of coffee they’d brought.

“Hot already?” Lee arched a brow, and Marshall grinned at the double entendre.

“Always for you.”

“Sure it’s not for Kelly in the deli?” Lee teased, stripping off his own clothes and adding them to the pile of Marshall’s at the edge of the blanket.

“I’m sure,” Marshall insisted, crawling across the blanket on his hands and knees to where Lee stood, watching him. “She’s missing something very vital to my happiness, if you know what I mean.”

“No, what do you mean?” Lee made a point of gripping his hardening cock, pumping slightly, his eyes fixed on Marshall.

“You know exactly what I mean. You’re touching it.”

“Is this something you want?”

“That’s something I always want.” Marshall had reached Lee’s feet, and applied tender kisses to the top of first one foot and then the other. He looked up into Lee’s eyes, trying to gauge his desire. He could go for it, and maybe he’d reach the prize he sought, but he had a feeling Lee had something else in mind. He just didn’t know what, but he knew Lee would let him know.

“Maybe if you’re a good boy, I’ll give it to you. Later. For right now, I want you on your back. And no touching.”

Marshall had quickly obeyed the first command, and was well on his way to breaking the second when Lee spoke. Marshall pouted, but he didn’t touch himself, much as he wanted to.

Lee dropped to his knees beside Marshall’s head. “My good boy,” he murmured, just before he claimed his mouth with a kiss so passionate it stole Marshall’s breath.

Marshall closed his eyes and fell into the intensity of Lee’s touch, at the fire in Lee’s eyes, reveling in the intimacy that was theirs. Opening them once more, he stared up into the canopy of purple above them and caught his breath.

“Just relax, and don’t move. I’m doing everything right now,” Lee whispered. He began to kiss Marshall in all of his favorite spots: behind his ear, under his jaw, the corners of his mouth. As he began to trail kisses down Marshall’s neck, Marshall understood exactly what was going on, and why. He relaxed into the blanket, allowing Lee his way. Not that he didn’t all the time, anyway, but today was special.

Lee was making today all about Marshall. God, he loved Lee.