Camp Lore - 29. Chapter 29

“Ready for another story about Nate?” Andy asked, when the girls we were teaching left for general swim.

“Wrestle him off the bench yet?”

“Oh, yeah.”

I turned. “Now, that’s new.”

He grinned.

“Rolling around in the grass and dirt?”

“A little further.”

“Into the trees?”

“More civilized.”

“You didn’t bring him here? How’d you get past the...”

“No. This place is just for us.”

I smiled.

“Thank you for that.”

“But he does have a way with locks.”

“The cabins?”

“Where else?”

“He can really pick locks?”

“He doesn’t need to – anymore. That’s just a story he tells.”

I waited.

“So?”

“He has a key.”

“How’d he get that?”

Andy shrugged. “How’d he learn to pick locks?”

I considered.

“So the girls must know that. I wonder why they don’t tell the guys?”

“Would you tell anyone you had sex with Nate?”

I laughed.

“You do.”

“I tell you. That’s as far as it goes.”

Then Andy told me how he got Nate off the bench.

“And into a cabin. And out of his clothes. And wriggling happily on the bed.”

He was somewhat more descriptive than that. Though it turned out they didn’t do anything more that we had. Actually, far less.

“Nate naked is still Nate passive,” Andy concluded. “He’s happy to go where I want. But he won’t lead.”

“Not even to...?”

“He’ll kiss me. As I’ve said, he likes that. Then he stops.”

I laughed again.

“You’ve still got a month.”

He seemed to consider.

“No – this may be it – as far from straight guy sex as he’ll allow. And what’s the point of making him unhappy?”

I had no answer.

“Anyway, that’s Nate naked,” Andy said, grinning. “But he’s still a lot of fun.”

“Sounds like it.”

“And who knows? – maybe he’ll do more. Maybe you and I should gang up on him.”

“No way.”

He grinned.

“I didn’t think so. You’ll only go so far, too.

“That’s not fair.”

“Maybe. Still, I might have some kind of control over him.”

“Only ‘cause he gives it to you.”

“He trusts me.”

“And he’s curious.”

We both laughed.

“Oh, yeah – with Nate, there’s always that.”

I hesitated. Then asked, “Do you have the same control over me?”

Andy seemed surprised.

“I don’t even think of you that way.”

It seemed honest.

“How do you think of me?”

He didn’t need to consider.

“As a friend. Someone I can share anything with.”

“Thanks.”

“I told you – I don’t tell any other guys these stories.”

“I don’t even know how many other guys there are.”

He held up two fingers, then dropped one of them to half.

Again – honest.

“And I’ve never mentioned you. Which I won’t.”

“But you’ve told me about them.”

“One of them. ‘Cause you couldn’t guess which one he is if you tried.”

“Probably,” I admitted.

“And you wouldn’t – that’s what I like about you. One of many things. Nate would be playing Twenty Questions.”

“Does he know about me?”

“He might – but only ‘cause I blew that on the train. Before I even knew there was a chance.”

“You didn’t have a sense about me?”

“You were sleeping – I hardly saw your face. Didn’t even know you wore glasses.”

“I had them tucked away.”

“So there you are. But I was pleased as hell when you started to talk. You could’ve sat there like a dumb jock.”

“Is that what I seemed? Why you picked that seat?”

He laughed.

“Well, you’ve got the body for it.”

I laughed.

“What?” Andy had to ask. “I know I’ve told you that before...”

“No... it’s nothing really. I was just thinking about Nate.”

“His body?”

“Yeah.”

And he grinned.

“So now you know why I tell you those stories.”

“I always have.”

“But you never ask questions. Which you’re allowed.”

“No need.” And I hesitated. “Besides... I’m still asking too many myself – or not asking and wondering when I will.”

“Or if?”

“I’m surprised you know that.”

He shrugged.

“But yeah... I don’t see any reason to.”

And he kissed me.

“I really do love you,” he said – eventually. “You’re so damn normal.”

I studied his face.

“I thought that was good.”

“It is... But I don’t see enough of it. As I said – I spend a lot of time around older guys.”