They laughed, played,loved.
As their bodies worked together to satisfy that deep need, their minds traveled on a wild ride that diffused worry and fear and apprehension, all the things Art had felt so powerfully before they’dbegun.
In bed with Wes, Art was consumed with a pleasure he couldn’t recall having ever experienced before. He had known joy and happiness, but for brief, fleeting moments. Here it was sustained, though not on one note, as he might have figured such an experience would be, but like a beautiful song, where each variance and nuance hit the ear justright.
Each thrust offered Art the memory of what it really meant to feel alive again, until his most satisfying release, when Wes collapsed onto his back and curled his arms around him, pulling him close. The way he held him was as though he wasn’t willing to let Art get away from him, and Art felt safe in thathold.
They caught their breathtogether.
At the height of their climax, Art had been so lost in their exhilaration that he hardly knew where he’d landed in time. Some part of him felt like he would discover he was thirty or forty once again, but as he turned to Wes and beheld him, he was sure of where they were…and that it was the only place he wanted to be, because it was only in the culmination of lives lived that they could have created such an experience, filled with pure, unfettered lust and total appreciation of oneanother.
They shared another kiss…and another…and thenanother.
And once again, time eluded Art as his senses permitted him a moment where past and present collided to grant himtranscendence.
* * *
It couldn’t have been morethan an hour, but Wes felt like they’d spent so much longer as he lay in bed, Art’s face resting against his chest and his hand on Wes’sstomach.
“Whew,” Wes said. “I think I might just stay in bed for the rest of theday.”
Art looked up at him, his grin surely as broad asWes’s.
“Did I wear you out?” Artteased.
Wes delighted in how Art had let up so much from when they’d started messing around—he must’ve truly felt how beautiful he was in Wes’seyes.
Art had transformed into someone filled with passion and excitement…a man who didn’t question his ability to enjoy being with another man. He had surprised Wes again and again throughout, and it left Wes wondering what had been so different from all those other men he’d been with. Was it just a combination of their experience and this intense feeling he felt toward Art, physically and emotionally, something that had continued to grow since the moment they met? Perhaps it was something else. Regardless of the reason, Wes thoroughly enjoyed lying beneathhim.
Art sighed, propping himself up on his side, and Wes rolled toward him and asked, “Where are you going? I was enjoyingthat.”
“I was enjoying it too, but I think I need to go get some water, maybe some lemonade. Would you like me to grab that glass I was fixing foryou?”
“I’d appreciate that,” Wes said, gently grabbing Art’s chin and adding, “But don’t be too long.” He leaned forward and they exchanged a kiss, Wes selfishly wanting another taste, not only of Art’s mouth, but of that intense feeling Art had the power to work up inhim.
When Art finally managed to pull away from Wes, he headed out and returned with two glasses, handing one to Wes, who realized how thirsty he was as he gulped it down, the flavor exploding in hismouth.
They placed their glasses on the nightstand, and Wes rolled over, hooking an arm around Art. “We should just make this a bed day,” he said. “Unless you had more important things to do than lie here in my arms so that I can spend the day kissingyou.”
“Just a meeting with the president and a speech I have to give before Congress, but I can cancel both things forthis.”
A boisterous laugh erupted from Wes. “Oh, look who’s gettingcheeky.”
Art’s expression turned serious. “Thank you for coming over,” he said. “This was very…unexpected.”
“What was unexpected about it? I took you on a date…and then asked you before I cameover…”
“No, not this in particular. I meant much more than that. If you’d told me when you arrived that this is where we would end up, I would have laughed at you. This isn’t something I planned would ever happen again. I told you, I gave up on that part of my life, and I assumed at thisage…”
“I know what you assumed,” Wes said. “I had given up too, and really, as much as I enjoyed our talks, I couldn’t have expected that I would start to feel a bit like a kid around you. Not a kid, obviously, but I guess the way you excite me reminds me of being sort of playful and foolish, and I’ve almost judged myself for having some of these feelings. I’m not ashamed of them, Art. Whatever’s happening between us, I want it to keep growing.” Wes leaned back, raised his arms, and put his hands behind his head. “You have to admit, Kenneth is going to be pissed as hell when he finds out we’re goingsteady.”
Art laughed. “Steady? Aren’t we moving a little fastthere?”
“Well, you can decide that once I find my class ring.” Wes winked, and Art’s face turned red, which Wes thought was adorable, especially considering what an innocent joke itwas.
Wes rolled back so they were lying stretched out across from each other. He studied Art’s face like he’d done before. He couldn’t get enough of that. The more they chatted and the more they continued down this path, the more intrigued he was and the more eager to discover where all this was leadingthem.
“Yes, my class ring,” Wes said. “And you can wear my letterman jackettoo.”
