A Shot of Bourbon - 4. Chapter 4

chapter 4:

: distilled by viv :

"Is it deep enough yet?" Rusty asked, a fine sheen of sweat glistening across his torso.

"Nah," my father responded looking on briefly, gauging our progress. "You can go a little deeper..."

Perhaps I should explain how we got in this seemingly precarious situation and, take a moment to explain, not all is what it seems to be.

Stop being dirty...

Anyhow, it all started about four-thirty in the morning. Yes, yes, far too early for any sane person to be awake. Yet we were. Anyhow, my dad, Rusty, and I, the three of us huddled in the driveway. Okay, so my dad wasn't exactly huddled, he was doing something; I was just too damned tired to notice much of what it was. So, as I was saying, Rusty and I were huddled in the driveway trying to fight off the cold and tired.

"You guys about ready to head out?" my dad asked checking the locks on the toy hauler one last time.

Neither of us answered, just dutifully climbed into the cab of the truck. Half in anticipation of the trip, the other half, anticipating the sleep the long trip would afford. Yes, the trip was long, five hours long, till we arrived at the nearest town. A quick stop at the Wal-Mart, and then, another hour on the highway. Alright, so I should tell you that the quick stop usually took anywhere from an hour and a half, to two hours.

It just so happens, the nearest town was basically one long stretch of road. To explain it in a nutshell, the weekend the new Home Depot opened, it was all over the front page of the local paper all weekend. Ah yes, there is choice in capitalism.

If the new Home-Depot caused such a stir, I would have loved to have seen what happened the day they open the new Super Wal-Mart, but alas, it happened one of the fifty other weekends a year we weren't camping.

This town also, somehow, has been able to rewrite the definition of fast food. I don't know about you, but I don't think two bean and cheese burritos should take twenty-five minutes to prepare. I guess they had to grow, clean, and boil the beans for my burritos.

Damn, I'm bitching about those slow fuckers again...

So, the town trip took about two and half hours this time, and Rusty and I were hungry. Had we not been, we would have been out of there clean in about an hour and a half.

"You getting excited?" I asked Rusty as we headed down the highway. He answered with a shrug as my question pulled his attention from the passing scenery outside the window. "I don't really know what to expect," he finally was able to get out.

"There will be riding of course, shooting, and one big ass camp fire," I reminded him of our previous conversations where I had gone into great detail of what he should expect.

As I did, I noticed something in his eyes. They appeared flat, maybe even cautious. I wondered to myself if this was the furthest he had ever gotten away from home, or if there was something else bothering him. "We'll have fun you just wait," I tried further assuring him. "Might even get a few beers out of Dad here," I added with a wink and a nod in the direction of my old man. My dad just smirked at the comment and kept driving. He didn't totally shoot the idea down anyway; I'd just broach the subject later. No, I don't give up, it's part of my charm.

The trip along the highway took another forty-five minutes, only to take an exit in the middle of nowhere. Tack on an additional hour driving along rutted out ranch roads that hadn't seen a good grading since the previous spring.

The look on Rusty's face as my dad maneuvered through a particularly rough stretch of road made the whole trip worth it, and so much more. Those marvelous chocolate pools swelled to near overflowing as he gripped the 'Oh Shit Handle' with every muscle in his body as he was tossed back and forth, from side to side, with the trucks precarious movements. Rusty loved it; his cheeky grin saying it all, and so much more. In fact, I think if we had turned around right after that, he wouldn't have cared one bit.

No way! I have too many little thoughts running through my mind to let that happen. Yes, that includes doing certain debaucherous activities in the light of the silvery full moon. Finally, Dad pulled the truck up into a clearing protected by stands of mesquite trees. There sat four other trucks, and my lazy cousins stuck somewhere between unloading and setting up camp.

"BOURBON!!" My cousin Jeff yelled, running up to the passenger window as my dad pulled the truck to a stop.

"Sup Jeff," I asked climbing out.

At that moment, Rusty chose to climb out of the truck and stretch. It only took a millisecond, for Jeff to notice Rusty. That, in itself, was rather unassuming; it was just the devious sparkle that passed Jeff's blue eyes as he took notice of Rusty that concerned me. If you knew Jeff, for just a few hours, you could spot the look of Jeff getting ready to razz you a mile away.

"Who's your boyfriend?" he questioned completely casual, his head nodding towards Rusty. Rusty stopped in mid stretch, looking like a poor deer stuck in the middle of a dark road suddenly awash in light.

"Jealous, that I'm the only one going to get some ass tonight?" I countered quickly, a wide grin playing across my face.

If the poor guy looked like a deer in the headlights before, Rusty now looked like the remnants of said deer, having failed to get the hell out of the way. In hindsight, I should have warned him of the 'friendly' banter the guys got up to out here in the middle of nowhere; miles away from their spouses. Mom has always said Dad stopped maturing at fifteen, out here that theory is well proven, just don't tell her that.

Jeff laughed easily at my comment extending his hand to Rusty. "I'm Jeff, Bourbons favorite cousin," Jeff announced, rather sure of himself, after Rusty hadn't taken his hand. I just chuckled at his assumption.

"I'm not the bitch," Rusty finally managed to squeak, his shaky hand taking Jeff's securely, attempting to join the already rampant trash talking. Jeff laughed loudly, as he pulled Rusty towards him by Rusty's offered hand, crushing him in a hug that Rusty found awkward.

"We'll see about that," Jeff replied to Rusty's comment with a wink as he released him. "The virgin gets to dig the pit," Jeff laughed a little more, his eyes settling on me. "And seeing as he is not your bitch, you can dig it with him."

That, my friends, is how we ended up here, burrowed five feet into the surface of the earth, sweating and dirty. Having a lot of fun in the process, Rusty and I joked between ourselves as we dug the massive crater. Joking about how long it took my dad, Jeff, and Deacon, Jeff's younger brother, to set up the tent Rusty and I would be using.

I guess Jeff decided the crater we were digging was finally deep enough, as he handed Rusty and I each a bottle of water and offered a hand out of the hole. Rusty took an easy pull off the bottle before dumping the rest of the cold water over his head. The water cascaded down his nude torso, striking a contrast where it washed the dust that clung to his chest away.

This I watched with, perhaps, a little too much interest as Jeff sniggered to himself and elbowed me lightly on the side. He didn't say anything, just smiled slightly before wandering off. I guess I should have been more careful, I just can't. Call it love, lust, whatever. There are just times that I can't willingly keep my eyes off of him. I'm sure there are moments when he stares at me for long periods, but to be hones I've never noticed.

"Bourbon," my dad called breaking me of my thoughts. "Why don't you get the bikes out and go for a ride?"

He really is my hero sometimes.

It didn't have to be suggested twice as I raced to the toy hauler and got the bikes out. Soon, The Beast was roaring in the still of the desert. Okay, so there was a rather large home stereo setup blaring music in the background.

Jeff enjoys his music and had made progress through the years, at first it was little battery powered boom box. With every trip that came and went, the stereo setup got a little more elaborate. Currently, it was two large home speakers, an old Sansui head unit, old I tell you; so old its casing is made of wood, and a five disc CD changer. All of this equipment was powered by a generator hidden deep in the chaparral growth.

As Rusty and I mounted our dirt bikes, Jeff was giving "Dirty D" a quick run through of the Honda Odyssey. Deacon is like three weeks away form being sixteen, he's had his learner's permit for five months, and I really don't think he needed the same safety spiel he always got from Jeff about the Odyssey, but I guess it shows Jeff really cares for D.

Hell, Jeff even gave me shit on our last trip when I was ribbing Dirty D about dry humping the air mattress in the middle of the night. Yes, I had woken up late one night to the air mattress I was sharing with Deacon, rocking and rolling. Somehow, the randy little bastard had flipped himself so his knees where on the floor of the tent and began humping the air mattress in his sleep. Thank God his lower half was still in the sleeping bag. That would have just been too odd. Not to mention, it would have embarrassed the shit out of him.

Anyway, we were all going riding, and Jeff was being over protective of Deacon. So, Rusty and I took off with out them. Yeah, I'm sure we'd catch shit later, but I wanted to be away from everybody and see what I could steal, if anything.

We rode around for about fifteen minutes before Rusty and I had discovered a large wash and were using the dry creek as a make shift jump. It didn't take long for Jeff and Dirty D to find us once we started messing around there. Rusty and I even received a well deserved matched pair of birds from the brothers. It was funny, while Deacon flipped us off, he nearly steered himself into a stand of trees. I guess Jeff's safety talk was warranted after all.

The four of us had fun, laughing at each other, jumping the rut. About a half an hour later, Deacon decided he was going back to camp. Jeff tried to persuade Rusty and I to join him, but I, for reasons stated before, was reluctant to join. Jeff gave me an odd look, alright, he gave both Rusty and I a sideways glance before he told Deacon to go back to camp. The fact that he told Dirty D to head back with out him had me kind of nervous. My anxiety climaxed when, with a motion of his hand, he beckoned me to join him.

I hesitated, only for a second but it was long enough for him to repeat the motion with a sense of urgency. Feeling I had no other out, I slowly putted The Beast up along side of his bike. Following his motion as he pulled his helmet off, I pulled mine helmet off as well.

"What's the story?" Jeff asked the moment my head was free.

I looked at him dumbfounded, partially due to the fact he had the gall to ask such a question. Also, that only a matter of hours of had passed, and my darkest secret was out.

"Huh?" I asked, rather dumbly, as I look back on it.

"You and Rusty, what's the story?" Jeff clarified, no sign of a smirk or anything on his face.

I felt the blood drain from my face as I tried to gauge his eventual reaction, which I couldn't.

"We're friends," I stammered.

That answer earned me nothing but an odd look from Jeff, by odd, I mean something akin to uncertainty and disappointment. I really couldn't blame him though, I wouldn't buy the answer I had ruefully given if I were in his place.

His look continued as he shoved his head back into the helmet that had been resting in his lap. Shaking his head slightly, Jeff pulled away, more than slightly annoyed. I just didn't know whether it was the fact that he knew I had lied to him, or if it was the secret truth he somehow figured out.

"What was that about?" Rusty asked as he pulled up beside me, his voice muffled in the helmet he wore.

"Nothing, Jeff's just being weird," I answered, my eyes still fixed on the dissipating cloud of dust my cousin left in his wake.

As I turned my head to look at Rusty, he surprised me. Somewhere in the three seconds of my answer He had shucked his helmet and was now kissing me in front of God and all the little fluffy bunnies that ran around out here.

Bunnies? How gay... But there I was, kissing my boyfriend, so make your own assumptions.

"God," Rusty exclaimed as he broke the kiss. "I've been dying to do that for hours. I didn't think we'd ever get three seconds alone."

My eyes were closed with what I'm sure was a dumb grin on my dirt caked face. "I'm going to need a hell of a lot longer than three seconds to do what I want to do to you," I murmured. I was rewarded with another gratifying kiss.

"Mmmm; you taste like dirt," Rusty smiled with his million watt grin.

I can honestly say I would give all my possessions to see that grin any given day. It was even better when he was sweating, breathing hard and in my bed, but I would take that cheeky grin anyway I could get it.

"I love your smile," I sighed hugging him as best I could. The two of us astride separate bikes made it futile and awkward at best, yet we managed it somehow.

"I thought you loved my eyes," he murmured content in the difficult embrace.

"I love you," I sighed attempting to squeeze him tighter.

"I wish we were home," he sighed.

"You're not having fun?" I questioned seriously, pulling away, searching the eyes, I so adored.

"I'm having a blast," Rusty answered honestly, his eyes sparkling as proof. "I just wish we had somewhere more, comfortable," he finished with a sly grin.

"Oh... OH!" he brought a quick grin to my face when I realized what he was talking about. "There's a bush over that way," I said quickly with a nod of my head and a wiggle of my brow. Just as I finished planting my devious little seed, and before he could respond, the F.R.S. radio clipped to my belt squawked most annoyingly.

"BOURBON!" my dad yelled, "Get your ass back to camp now, chows on."

Crap! And I had ideas of a different sort of meal.

Annoyed, I pulled the lil' yellow and black piece of plastic shit and responded. "Give me fifteen, Dad,"

"Negative Casanova, the guys wanna shoot after the meal," he responded, a chuckle ending his sentence.

Ha! He knew I wanted to shoot too... Okay, that was an odd thought. It's sometimes weird how casual Dad is with me and Rusty. I wouldn't have expected anything less of him, he is, after all, the greatest man in my life. I still find it a bit perplexing.

Anyway, back to the story at hand, or lack there of, for that matter.

Realizing that this wasn't happening now, Rusty and I disentangled ourselves, started our bikes and headed back to camp. The ride was fun; we raced each other, which involved a lot of give and take. Me speeding off ahead of him only to slow and let him take the lead. He, in turn, would do the same. No words were exchanged between us, or signals for that matter. It was just as if we could sense one another. I don't know, that's just the best way I can explain it.

Back at camp, the grub was okay. Camp out carne, as Jeff so lovingly called it. Dinner consisted of Carne Asada, corn tortillas, and a Salsa Verde which would have your ass screaming in the morning.

Yeah it was good, the company made it better. The only thing that put a damper on the dinner was the fact that Jeff didn't talk to me. Well, that coupled with the fact that he would look at me every so often, and every other one of those glances looked as if he was really annoyed.

The gunfire started as the sun slowly descended into the horizon. I didn't feel much up to that this evening. Plus, I wanted to teach Rusty how to shoot a gun in the morning. Instead, I decided to start the fire.

Rusty and I started heaving large tree branches into the pit that my dad and Uncle Rich, Jeff, and Deacon's dad, had collected while we were out riding around. Once Rusty and I had decided we had a decent sized wood stack and enough kindling underneath. I had him toss camp fuel on the stack and throw the match. The fire went up without a hitch. We each grabbed a seat and sat in a ring around the raging fire.

With the sun finally gone to rest, and the stars out to play, the random gunfire slowly died as my dad and Uncle Rich joined Rusty and me round the fire. Jeff and Deacon weren't far behind. Riding the bikes and shooting is all good, but this is what I loved about camping out here the most. The easy chatter that we always seemed to find sitting around the pit with music playing in the background. That always ended the night perfectly to me.

Rusty and I had a great time talking to one another. My dad would chime in every so often from his banter with Uncle Rich. That would cause Rich to make a spry comment to which we would all laugh. Even Dirty D got his ribs in. Jeff, however, was still in silent mode with me even though he talked to Rusty easily enough.

To be perfectly honest, I was getting rather annoyed with the whole deal. I guess I knew he was pissed at me. I even knew what it was over, but I still blamed him for being the ass. It wasn't long before Dad and Rich begged off to bed, something about not being as young as they once were. So it was the four of us left, and the fire got really quiet for about three songs. Yes, that's a convenient way of measuring time while you're camping. Deacon was tossing more wood into the inferno causing the flames to soar ten feet into the air. The massive fire causing a cascade of ash and ember that flurried all around the pit.

"D," Jeff hollered as he bent up from the ice chest he was rummaging around in. "That's enough, man. C'mere." Deacon dutifully complied, trotting up to Jeff's side.

I envied the two of them in that moment. I'd often wondered what it would have been like to have a younger brother, someone to look after, someone to harass. I understood why I didn't though. Mom had a bad enough time bringing me into this world. Even went into false labor at five months, spent the following two in bed. Yeah, I envied Jeff and the bond he had with Deacon.

"Just the one," he muttered to his younger brother. With a flick of his wrist he had easily removed the cap off a bottle of beer and sent him to take his seat by the fire.

Dirty D being the little imp that came naturally to our family, smiled broadly and you could see the creeping thought that screamed 'we'll see'. It wasn't long after that Jeff padded up to the empty chair to my left and sat down producing an equally open beer for Rusty and one for myself. Rusty took a sip and made a sour face. I laughed thinking it was cute.

I took a long pull myself, looking at Jeff who sat there staring at the two of us questioningly. The jig was up, he knew. There was no use denying that fact any longer. Looking away at the fire, I took a deep breath of the smoky flavored air and slowly exhaled before I turned my attention back to Jeff. Setting the bottle in the built-in cup holder of the camp chair, my now free hand sought out Rusty's blindly, and grasped it tightly.

"I'd sacrifice anything for him," I spoke clearly. Finally answering the question he had had offered four hours earlier. Jeff simply nodded and took a long pull of his own beer. Deacon sat not to far away wide eyed, nearly choking on his own gulp.

Fallout in...

3...

2...

1...

"I figured as much," Jeff spoke at last.

"You two are gay for each other?!" Deacon coughed a little too loudly. Rusty choked around the mouth of the beer bottle he had drank in earnest.

"Dirty D, shuddup," Jeff intoned sounding more than a little annoyed with his brother. The comment stood out, it was the first time I had ever heard Jeff use my nick name for the little bugger.

"You mean you guys kiss and..." Deacon asked his unfinished question more hushed then his previous statement.

I didn't know how to answer that, or if I even could. I could, howeve,r feel the blush rise in Rusty oddly enough. It wasn't much longer before Rusty, mimicking what he had seen my father and Uncle Rich doing, tossed his now empty bottle into the glowing pit. Jeff stood taking one last gulp of his own bottle before it too joined Rusty's in the brilliant embers at the bottom of the pit. Deacons flew in not long after.

Mine? Well, I still had a death grip on Rusty's hand so my bottle still set almost full in the seat's cup holder. I gave Rusty's hand one final squeeze before I released his hand and fished my bottle out of the arm rest and took a tentative swallow. By the time I set the bottle back down, Jeff was standing between me and the fire. I love my cousin dearly, but he was totally destroying the view, not that he cared one lick mind you.

He offered Rusty another beer, which Rusty accepted. I'll have to have a chat with him about taking the drinking thing easy around my family. They are a great bunch, but they have a serious mean streak when it comes to playing with people that have drunk too much. Jeff then handed me a beer.

"I still have some, but thanks." I said picking up my half empty bottle of which I took a sip. It took a good measure of strength to bite back the bitter taste of the warming liquid.

Jeff pulled the bottle out of my hand and finished it in short order. After he tossed the bottle into the fire he again handed me the fresh beer. Looking back, it was a really symbolic gesture. I mea to take the bottle I had been drinking out of and finish it off like he did, he was basically saying everything was okay. Watching him do it did bring a slight smile to my face.

"You didn't have to lie, Bourb," Jeff said as he ruffled my hair. "And you," he said turning his attention on Rusty. Jeff's voice had an uncanny edge to it which made Rusty slump back in his seat slightly."You break his heart; I'll kick your ass," he finished with a grin.

Rusty looked thoughtful for a moment before he countered, "If he breaks my heart?"

"Then I'll kick his ass, and never let him hear the end of it."

That was that. Jeff had said his peace, and the next three hours passed in a matter of seconds it seemed. We just talked, Jeff and Deacon both grilled us on how we met. So I obliged, and recounted our meeting. Obviously I left out the good parts.

"Well guys;" Deacon announced, his words beginning to slur slightly. "I'm gonna crash."

"Take some aspirin D," Jeff said getting out his chair. Rusty and I watched D stumble a few paces and then stop abruptly. He turned his gaze in our direction as if he had finally made a decision on a nagging thought.

"Before I go, I want to see you guys kiss," he said, rather blatantly I might add.

"OH SHIT!" Jeff shouted upon hearing his brother's request and began laughing. I choked on the drink of beer I had just taken the moment he surprised us with his demand.

"I'm not going to be fuel for your dry humping episodes," Rusty laughed.

Jeff let out a howl of further laughter. I broke down laughing, too. Poor Dirty D just looked wholly dejected. What can I say, I'm a sucker. Plus it was an open invitation to kiss Rusty? Pass that up? Yeah right!

Pulling myself lazily from the chair I occupied next to Rusty, I squarely stood in front of him and lowered my lips to his. Regardless of his previous comment, he eagerly accepted the kiss as his free hand grabbed the back of my head. My tongue played slowly across his bottom lip before he pulled it into his mouth and sucked on it, eliciting a growling moan from me.

"Get a room, get a tent!" Jeff hollered as he stumbled forth and claimed the seat I had just vacated.

I peered at him from the corner of my eyes, unwilling to break the kiss between Rusty and me. "Get bent..." I muttered around Rusty's beer tinged lips.

"Another few beers and this show, I just might," his wit and response was lightning quick.

Rusty and I broke our kiss with a hearty laugh. I was laughing so hard I buckled to my knees on the earth in front of Rusty. My head landing squarely in his lap as my knees hit the ground.

"DEACON, CLOSE YOUR EYES!" Jeff hollered laughing.

"Shrudduph!" my response muffled by the stiff fabric of Rusty's jeans.

"The kid bargained for a kiss cuz', not a full on show," he continued chuckling.

I pulled myself up, wiping the tears from my eyes. "Was it as good for you as it was for them?" I asked, gazing at fire flickering in Rusty's large eyes.

"Hell no," Rusty panted;"it ended,"

Jeff howled with laughter again. This time however, his laughter was so boisterous that he tipped the camp chair backwards and Jeff landed on his back in the dirt. Yes, he was still laughing, and at that little stunt of campsite acrobatics, we all laughed.

"Didn't spill a drop" he sounded triumphantly his arm rising into view holding a beer bottle aloft.

Deacon went to the tent he was sharing with his older brother shortly there after. Jeff, Rusty, and I each had another beer. Nothing much was said, we just listened to the songs playing on the radio and made idle comments about the music.

The three bottles landed in the pit in near unison to slowly melt down in the white hot embers. Jeff stood and stretched with a long yawn. The action was concluded with a tired glance in our direction. I was still sitting on the ground in front of Rusty's chair. His legs had been slightly squeezing my sides and releasing, as I stared at the star filled night sky.

"Well gent's," Jeff stated. "I'm off to bed; don't get into to much trouble," he spoke as he turned leaned down and squeezed my shoulder.

"Night Jeff," Rusty chimed in sounding more than a little drowsy himself. Rusty's fist tapping Jeff's just as Jeff padded off to the tent.

"Aww damn, D, not again," we heard Jeff's voice come from inside the tent in a hushed tone. "You really need to get a girlfriend and release some of your tensions..."

"Huh?" we could hear Deacon groan in his sleep.

Rusty and I shared a quiet chuckle. "I told you he humps the mattress," I sighed enjoying the leg hug Rusty had me in. Rusty made a sound that was similar to a chuckle but he kept his mouth closed, leaving the sound echo in his chest.

"C'mere," I spoke, struggling to my feet, receiving a groan from Rusty for my efforts. I ignored his non-verbal protest and pulled him to his feet as well. He groaned again. "Oh be quiet, you'll like it I swear." I dragged him along with me, and together the two of us stumbled through the soft dirt until we were far beyond the glowing ring of the fire.

"What?" he finally asked in the dark as we stared at each other. I chuckled. Using my hand I grabbed his chin, pulled his lips to mine, and gave him a soft kiss in the starlight. "Oh," he sighed and tried to kiss me again. I simply shook my head to his advance and using my grip on his chin, forced his longing gaze towards the heavens above us.

"OH MY GOD!" he gasped.

I knew the feeling that surged in his soul as he looked skyward, the heavens unfolding before him in all their infinite glory. Millions of stars shimmering and distant, yet appearing so close, made you feel as if you could reach out effortlessly and run your hand through the ribbon of the Milky Way that stretched across the sky.

"That's beautiful," he sighed breathlessly, never having seen the stars like this in the congestion of Southern California.

In that exact second a shooting star raced by overhead only adding to the look of wonder that I could see in his eyes. It was my turn to sigh breathlessly, appreciating his silhouette lit by the pale blue light that filtered down from the sky above us.

"You're beautiful," I stammered, feeling stupidly nervous.

Rusty's eyes caught mine. Even in the dark, they twinkled gloriously, rivaling any of the stars I had longed to show him. In fact, I wonder why I even thought about looking at those twinkling stars at all, his eyes held enough wonder to keep me content for a lifetime.

"Did you make a wish?" he asked, the crackle of the fire distant in the background.

I shook my head. "I already have you..."

Rusty chuckled lightly and slugged my arm playfully. "Shuddup," he sighed, a blush creeping up his neck to his cheeks. Grinning broadly I grabbed his arm spun him around and pulled his back against my chest.

"Shhhh..." I cooed, holding him tight and turning my eyes to the heavens above. Rusty was all too quick to comply as his gaze went skyward as well.

Washed in silence and starlight, we watched a few more falling stars streak briefly only to burn out in their decent. It was really a perfect moment. The only thing that could have made it better was a Motown classic playing in the background. Instead, I just had the steady cadence of his breathing to lull me, not that I would complain about that either.

"Take me to bed," Rusty whispered in a way that it was barely audible. I softly kissed the back of his head, breathing him in before I pulled away.

"Thank you," he said once we were zipped up in the tent. The dying fire's flickering light playing off the thin nylon walls of the tent. "Thank you for bringing me, for letting me experience all of this."

"No need to thank me," I said as I pulled his fine ass shirtless self to my chest. "I want you to experience everything I do," I said right before I planted a kiss on his lips. "To feel everything I feel," I murmured my lips moving to his neck and collarbone. "Forever." I was done talking; my lips traversed his chest and landed on the nipple opposite the ridge of bone I was just kissing.

Rusty cooed as he stumbled in the darkness, attempting to sit on the air mattress where our sleeping bags had been laid out side by side. As he fumbled around in the dim flickering light, his hand searched out, and found, the front of my jeans on instinct. With a display of far too much practice, he deftly popped the button and ripped the zippered fly open with one hand.

I groaned lightly and bit the flesh just above his left nipple as his hand encircled my, by now, very, dick through the thin fabric of my boxers. My semi aggressive response only had him gripping me harder. I guess he had enough of the 'skin on cotton' contact as he struggled with the fabric to find his way through the fly opening. His hand, now slick with my precum, was sliding easily round the head. I inhaled a deep breath sharply through gritted teeth.

"We should stop," his voice was husky, as a heady smell poured off of him. Even though he suggested a halt, his hand continued its slow torturous menstruations on my pulsating erection.

Obligatory, I pulled my lips from the smooth of his flesh. Rusty's eyes were closed as a disappointed frown tarnished his lips. My gaze peered down at the wrist that was still buried on the 'go' side of my boxers. Without uttering a word, I grasped the edges of the fly opening and ripped the fabric free.

I was thinking that would convince him that I had no intention of stopping. No matter where we happened to be, no matter how thin the walls were, no matter who it was that slept only a few yards away.

"I don't think so," I whispered, my hands moving to his jeans as I popped the top button open and ripped his button fly open with excitement. Those chocolate pools popped open and simmered with molten lust.

"I'm glad you said that," he smiled briefly before diving forward to crush my lips with his own.

His hand still teasing me with his languishing strokes, Rusty easily fed me his tongue. Not to be outdone, I pushed my tongue through the breech of his lips. My hands went from an idle state, to groping and pawing his backside in an instant. As great as running my hand over his perfect ass was. I quickly tired of the material that covered him.

"Get those off," I huffed as I broke the seal our lips had made.

Rusty didn't take long to act on my command, but for my part, neither did I, as we stripped out of our jeans in the near darkness of the tent. What I wouldn't have given just to take the moment and stare at the perfection God had wrought in his flesh. However, it was too dark, and he had an awesome erection that was begging for attention, my attention.

In an instant, I had him on his back on the air mattress, my lips assaulting his nipples. His fingers tweaking the slave rings I had in my nipples. Their menstruations causing me to make restrained noises I never knew I could. Not to mention what his fingers on my nipples was doing to little Bourbon.

Giving his nipple one last nibble and swipe of my tongue, I moved further south. Kissing my way across the flat on his stomach, I saw his muscles contract in my mind like they had done on many a well lit occasion in the past. This night however, I was denied the sight by the veil of darkness. Rusty hissed as I licked my way around his navel, my hand squeezing his inner thigh just barely grazing his sack with my knuckles.

"Bourb," Rusty sighed wantonly. "Please..."

I lifted my head, looking up along his torso. He had his right hand lying on his chest. Acquiescing to his unfinished plea, I scooted down as far as I could before colliding with the nylon wall. Rusty gave a slight jump as my grip on his inner thigh was replaced with a long, painfully slow lick. Rusty groaned, it was more than a groan; it was a loud growl that vibrated even my spine.

"Bourb..." Rusty started again; his hand moving to cradle the back of my head. "I will flip you over and take you by force if I have to."

I would be lying if I said it wasn't an intriguing idea. Even after the last attempt. It hurt like hell and Rusty was too excited making my whole venture into being the 'bitch' short lived. He had been reticent to even try after that, and here he was making idle threats. Grinning in the darkness I teased the head of his dick with a quick swirl of my tongue. Rusty's hips jutted up in response. Damn, he was worked up. Who knew a campfire and some starlight could do this to him?

"You know I have those rape fantasies," I chided, my lips staying in contact with the tip of his erection while I spoke.

The pressure he was applying on the back of my head intensified as he urged me forward, Rusty didn't respond otherwise. Without further delay, and much to Rusty's relief I opened my mouth wide and engulfed his erection. With ease, I soon had my nose in the wisps of his pubic hair. Only, to slowly slide my way back up, it would be a swirl of the tongue, then the decent.

In a second Rusty's abdominal muscles would flex involuntarily and he would start watching me, while holding himself a mid crunch position, resting on his elbows. Whoa! I don't mean to sound bitter, but since the 'attempt' this and my hand are the only ways he will let me get him off.

I had Rusty at a steady whimper in five minutes using my time tested technique on him. When in a sudden motion he hooked his hands under my armpits and tossed me off to the side. "Huh?" I barely asked still feeling the phantom pressure of his dick on my lips.

Before I could comprehend what was about to happen, he had my legs resting over the curve of his hip and his spit soaked dick pressing in the wedge of my ass. There's a funny feeling you get when your about to be entered for the first time. A feeling not all that alien from riding a bike for the first time, or successfully mounting your first jump. Fear and anticipation rolling around, all sweaty on a bed, that was the feeling I had, for the second time.

The feeling only doubled as he slowly moved his erection up and down the length of my crack before he found the entrance he was looking for. Once found, he started to apply a forward pressure that must have been as alien to him as lying underneath him was to me.

With a grunt from him and a hiss of pain from me, Rusty popped the head of his dick through my sphincter. Thankfully he halted his assault there. Leaning in, he kissed the sides of my eyes softly. He must have tasted the tears that betrayed my machismo. Lying there, cheek to cheek, still for the first time since we had entered the tent, Rusty sighed.

"I'm sorry babe," he breathed, giving my cheek a quick kiss as he started to pull out.

"No!" I whispered harshly.

Hell if I was going to let a few tears of pain impede his boldness. With one hand I pulled his face to mine, the other, I guided to his wonderful ass and applied pressure. Sealed with a kiss, as the saying goes. Fighting the pain which was ebbing with every inch, he continued to slide into me while I kissed him for all I was worth. He shortly broke the kiss.

"There," he said with another quick kiss.

Now this was a different feeling. I had that whole fear and anticipation thing going on, and now, I felt like a stuffed and mounted game animal. I still felt the same way later as he started pushing and pulling, attempting to find a decent rhythm.

To be honest, I really didn't see the benefit of being on the bottom. I mean in a purely selfish instance what could you possibly get from this. It was a good damn thing I loved the hell out of him and wanted to do anything to make him to feel good.

It was as that little thought lulled in my mind, rocking back and forth with his thrusts that it happened. IT, took that crappy little thought and told it to get its shit and get the hell out! I bolted upright, or as far upright as his body would allow me, with a loud gasp.

"What the fuck was that?" I nearly yelled.

Rusty chuckled. "What?" he smiled as he moved slightly the head of his erection brushing against my prostate. "That?" he asked with a chuckle

"OH FUCK!" I gasped, eyes rolling back in my head, my head rolling back on my shoulders. "You better keep doing 'that'!"

Rusty laughed. "I knew I'd find it. Kind of makes up for that whole being pinned to the bed thing doesn't it."

"Fuck yeah!" I gasped loudly, I mean we're talking echos here.

"Dude you might want to quiet down before you wake the neighbors, not to mention the people in the next town," Rusty laughed as his stalled rhythm began to pick up slowly.

"I don't care," I sighed

Okay, part of me did really care, but that part was being outvoted by various other parts of me, most assuredly by the dull throb in my backside and my rapidly re-awakening erection. Another soft thrust from Rusty's hip's brought a moan from me. His soft grunting chuckle sounded so... him. I could listen to it forever. His lips chased the thought from my mind as he gently kissed the corner of my mouth.

"We have a development," he whispered.

I could feel his lips form the words on my cheek. More so, I could feel his hand squirming its way between our two bodies and grip my trapped erection firmly. Giving it a few awkward jerks, Rusty's lips found mine and he kissed me. Gently at first, but it didn't take long to have me sucking on his tongue. He was moaning into my mouth, and I into his.

"Ready?" he whispered breaking the kiss.

I could only nod, whatever smart ass answer that crossed my mind having been stuck in my throat. With that simple gesture Rusty started again. I had barely even noticed that he had stopped. His thrusts were short, but picking up, as my long idle arms encircled him. My fingers roamed over the ridges of his spine, from his shoulder blades all the way down to his thrusting ass cheeks.

His tempo picked up as I gave his lovely round ass a firm squeeze. Soon, Rusty had a good rhythm of long strokes going. He still had his hand wrapped around my shaft, stroking me in a haphazard fashion. With his other hand, he pushed himself up so he could thrust deeper.

Unwilling to let him escape me so easily, I bent my upper torso, reaching forward to where my lips collided with his collar bone. Rusty gasped as my lips worked their way between his collar, to the nape of his neck, and back. It wasn't long before he had me gasping again with his strokes hitting that place he had found in me earlier.

"Fuck," Rusty grunted in a gravelly voice. Sweat dripping from his forehead and torso.

He went rigid; I felt it, His warmth blasting into me. It was as I felt it, that I realized what I had read somewhere; this act was considered a way to pass on strength and knowledge. At the time I figured, yeah right! That was before Rusty, before tonight, and above strength or knowledge, it felt like he was pouring his soul into me.

Sappy, I know, but not once have I mentioned 'purple helmeted warrior' so deal with it. With a sigh, Rusty leaned forward crushing us both to the air mattress that somehow seemed flimsier than when we first laid on it. Rusty gave me a kiss on my cheek through a panting gasp.

That was it?

Honestly... Those stories lied. There were no fireworks. The world didn't screech to a resounding halt. It felt a little good but honestly it wasn't anything to write home about. Not that I would, ever. I don't think I'll ever get used to how easily Rusty could read me. Honestly, I couldn't tell you what clued him in to my disappointment. That's something you'd have to ask him. When you find out, let a brotha know.

Rusty lay there for only a second before he rushed upwards, his eyes starring at me in the darkness with a look of worry glistening there. "Bourb, I ah... I'm sorry," he stammered.

"Shhhh," I cooed cradling his face in the palm of my hand. "It's okay, as long as you felt good," I pulled his lips to my own and kissed his fear away.

Apparently that's all it took, one little kiss of reassurance. Soon Rusty had me pressed to the air mattress kissing me for all I was worth. After stealing my breath to his satisfaction, his lips moved away from mine. I tried to chase them down, but he was having none of it.

Rusty's lips traveled to my neck where he sucked and nibbled teasingly. He gave the same attention to the earlobe that prodded him in the nose as he worked my neck over. All too soon, I thought, he moved on, leaving a trail of soft kisses from my neck to my chest.

I let out a groan as he moved away from my ear. A groan which slowly morphed into a quivering moan as his lips attached on my nipple. His tongue flicked the slave ring that pierced the nipple like a seasoned pro, which by now, he was, at least when it came to his tongue and my nipples.

Not wishing him to move on so fast this time, my hands wrapped their way through his short hair. Apparently not well enough, as the short strands slipped through my pawing fingers, as he continued his trek.

Using his tongue Rusty left a warm, wet trail from my nipple over my breast bone and down the center of my chest down to my navel, where he danced the tip of his tongue around the rim of my belly button. Rusty was rewarded with a moan from my lips as my dick quivered against his chest. His eyes searched out in the darkness, and finding mine, he gave a slight smile before his lips encircled my belly button. Sucking what he could of my flat stomach into his mouth he gave my navel a slow kiss.

Breaking the kiss with my navel, he continued south. He placed small kisses down my pubic region all the way to the base of my now throbbing organ. Instead of diving for the gold he completely bypassed my dick, licking agonizingly slowly around the side between my balls and inner thigh. That action from him caused me to jump up in the darkness.

"Liked that, huh?" Rusty asked, already well knowing the answer.

"Yes," I hissed in answer as I watched him slide the head of my cock into his lips as he watched me.

"Oh God, yesss," I moaned my head lulling back as his tongue made a broad stroke across my piss slit.

Couldn't help it, honestly, Rusty had me so worked up by this time, that the moment he pulled my dick into his mouth I began thrusting. Well, thrusting the best one could in a seated position with a sharp rock jabbing me in my tender ass.

Rusty gagged at first, not expecting me to fuck his mouth like this. Yet, he was a trooper after that initial reflex and held on. Loving me with his lips, hands, and whatever else he could use. His tempo picked up as I pawed at the back of his head urging him on. As his tempo picked up, so did my thrusting. The only noise that could be heard in the tent was my slight moans as I bit my lower lip to stay quiet, and Rusty's heavy breathing flaring his nostrils.

I tried to warn him of the impending explosion. Just as my mouth opened to say watch out I just groaned, loudly, exploding into his mouth. Rusty moaned appreciatively yet, pulled his mouth off after the first volley, leaving the four or five subsequent blasts splatter across his upturned face.

He was a sight to see. Grinning like a chipmunk, his face coated in my thick spunk. I just stared at him contentedly as I rubbed my cream into his cheek using the head of my dick.

"You're amazing you know that?" I murmured enjoying the sensation his raspy cheek was causing.

"Only because I found you..." he sighed, turned and gave the head of my dick a loving kiss.

It looked like he wanted to go to sleep right there as he curled up in the cradle of my lap. I wasn't having it, pulling him up by his arms, I gave him a quick kiss before my tongue made a long stroke of his cheek, licking up the rest of my cum.

Tasting myself on his cheek was amazing, almost as amazing as depositing it there in the first place. My lips collided with his again, eliciting a moan from Rusty that went straight into my hungry mouth.

"We have a problem," I whispered as I nuzzled his cheek once the kiss was broken.

"You popped the air mattress," he commented.

"I popped it?" I asked somewhat shocked, yet finding comfort in the nap of his neck.

"Yup," he giggled as he pulled his sleeping bag over the two of us.

"How do you think 'I' popped it?" I questioned, wiggling around so we could get comfortable.

"Shhhh..." he cooed, his hand tracing my spine comfortingly. "I just know I'm not explaining it to your family."

The two of us chuckled lightly before falling asleep.

Jeff woke us the next morning. Too early for my liking, Jeff poked his head in the door, which was zipped closed mind you. Damn my family and their utter lack of respect for privacy. What he found was me cradled in the arms of the guy I love. Sleeping soundly, a grin on my face as I used Rusty's chest as a make shift pillow.

"Damn I guess you weren't the bitch," he chuckled thinking Rusty and I were still asleep.

Rusty slowly opened his eyes

"I told you," he murmured at Jeff before squeezing my shoulder.

I woke up to Jeff Laughing loudly and uncontrollably.

God, this was going to be an interesting trip.