Don't Look Back - 48. Chapter 48

November 4^th arrived at last, and not a day too soon, as far as Marshall was concerned.

He was more than ready to give his virginity to Lee. He hadn’t stopped thinking about this one night for years—it formed the basis of most of his wet dreams.

However, it wasn’t going to be as easy as that. Naturally not. First, before they even got to the main event, there was their annual birthday dinner with Roy, at Milly’s Diner. When Marshall asked couldn’t that be postponed, just for this year, Lee gave him one of his looks. “Do you want to be the one to explain why to Roy?”

Marshall thought that over for all of five seconds then shook his head.

“It won’t be so bad. Just think of it as a little extra anticipation,” Lee murmured. He drew Marshall into his arms and kissed him, over and over and over, until Marshall was dizzy with desire. Now that the big day had come, Lee had become a lot more handsy, and they were both in a perpetual haze of horniness.

Despite his raging hard-on, dinner was a success, and very enjoyable. Roy got him a pair of very nice boot-cut jeans, and a pale blue western-style shirt to go with them. Lee gave him a pair of the very boots he’d been wanting forever, as well as a CD he’d put together of some of Marshall’s favorite songs. Marshall looked from the CD to Lee in amazement.

“Back in my day, they used to call those mix tapes.” Lee laughed. “Nobody uses tape any more, but mix CD doesn’t sound right.”

“I love it, “Marshall declared, leaning in and kissing Lee. “And I love you. Thank you.”

It was somewhere about that time that Roy declared he had to mosey along and he’d talk to them later. Maybe it was all the pheromones in the air. Or the way Marshall and Lee made what they thought were surreptitious goo-goo eyes at each other. Even if later on, Lee wouldn’t admit to ever having done any such thing in his life.

Or maybe Roy, being a pretty good detective, figured things out for himself. Put two and two together and came up with Marshall now being legal, and Lee being too straitlaced and strict to make love to him before. Roy was the best, no doubt about it.

Roy walked them to their car, them hand in hand, hip to hip. Marshall didn’t think his grin could get any wider, a happiness which was reflected on the faces of Lee and Roy. In fact, the whole world seemed enveloped in one great big, warm glow.

Lee opened the driver’s side door, but before Marshall could scoot inside, he became the recipient of a bear hug from Roy. “Happy birthday, kiddo,” he said. “You two are the best. Just be happy, that’s all I ask.”

Marshall hugged the lawman back. “Thanks, Roy. I think you’re pretty awesome yourself.” He slid into the front seat, waiting for Lee, who hung over the door for a minute, talking to Roy. Finally, they shook hands, and Lee climbed behind the wheel, as Roy took off for his own car.

“Everything okay?” Marshall asked, scooting as close to Lee as he could get.

“Everything’s perfect,” Lee assured him. “Just tellin’ Roy how much I appreciate everything he’s done for us. I’m not sure anyone else would have done what he did. I think most people would’ve given up.”

Marshall shivered at the thought, sliding his arm through Lee’s and leaning against him. “I’m glad neither one of you did.”

“I wasn’t going to give up no matter what,” Lee declared as he swung the car out of the parking lot. “That was never an option.”

When they reached the house, Lee disappeared into the kitchen, telling Marshall to wait for him in the bedroom. He put away his gifts, then took a seat at the end of the bed and waited. He clasped and unclasped his hands, twisting them on his lap. He thrummed with nervous energy, wondering what Lee was up to, praying he hadn’t changed his mind. About tonight, about him—about anything and everything.

He looked up as Lee entered the bedroom. He carried two fluted glasses filled with amber liquid. “What’s that?”

“A little champagne, to celebrate the occasion.” Lee handed him one of the glasses.

Marshall looked at it curiously. He’d never had champagne before. Usually they drank beer. Wine, on occasion.

Lee dropped down onto the bed beside Marshall, turning to face him, their knees touching. “I’d like to propose a toast, but first, I want to talk to you.”

Marshall’s heart began to sink.

“No, no, don’t look like that.” Lee reached out with his free hand, tilting Marshall’s head up, gazing into his eyes. “You’re eighteen now, old enough to make your own decisions. You’re a grown man, and I won’t hold you to the words of a fifteen-year-old. So I’m asking you if this is really what you want to do. This is a huge step. This is something that can’t be undone between us. I’ll always be your father, and I’ll always be there for you, but this is something different. This is you and me, and loving each other in the way of men. I won’t take this step with you unless I know it’s what you really want, in your heart. If you tell me you’ve changed your mind, then that’s it. We won’t talk about it again, and we’ll go on as we always have—”

“I don’t have to think. I’ve done nothing but think about us for years. Nothing’s changed. If anything, I love you more than ever, Lee. I want to be with you. I want you to make love to me, be inside me. And I want to show you how much I love you too.”

Their lips met in a deal-sealing kiss.