Everything But Love by Joel Young
Chapter 18 – The Opening Act
My plane from Connecticut arrived in Tucson an hour before Justin's flight from Arkansas. I waited at his terminal so that I could greet him as he got off the plane. When I saw him walking toward me, I had a huge smile on my face. Justin came directly over to me and set his guitar case down. We hugged openly in the crowded airport.
Bobby Jones had arranged for a car to pick us up, but we had an hour before we expected the ride. So, we got our bags from the luggage claim area and grabbed a quick burger at the Jack in the Box restaurant that had a small store in the airport. We wanted to hold hands, but of course, we couldn't do that. Our mutual grins, however, probably made some people suspect that we were more than just friends.
"How was your flight?" I asked.
"We had some turbulence over Fort Worth that was a little scary," Justin said. "But everything else was fine. How about your flight?"
"No problems," I said. "Are you nervous about our rehearsal this afternoon?"
"Petrified!" Justin admitted. "What if they think we stink?"
"That's not going to happen," I assured Justin. "We'll start with "All I Have to Do Is Dream," and we can have my dad's music guy help us pick out some other songs we already know. And I haven't told you this yet, but Bobby called me this morning. He wants our last song to be "Itsy Bitsy, Tiny Weenie, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini." And he wants us to 'ham it up.' He's getting a girl who will wear a bikini upstage while we're downstage, acting as if we don't know she's there. Bobby says the audience will love it."
"But can we learn it by tomorrow night?" Justin asked, sounding quite concerned.
"I think so," I said. "The lyrics aren't complicated, and you can improvise anything on the guitar if you have to. I've heard you do it!"
"Okay," Justin said, "Wow! This is all happening so fast!"
After lunch, Justin and I waited at the curbside pick-up zone outside of the Tucson airport. We didn't know who would be picking us up, but we certainly weren't expecting the black Lincoln Continental Town Car that pulled up and parked. A uniformed driver got out of the car and held up a sign reading "James McCoy and Justin Pennel."
"Wow!" Justin said. "We're traveling in style today!"
The chauffeur took us straight to the Rialto Theater, where the concert was scheduled for 8:00 the following evening. Justin and I went into the theater and looked around. The auditorium was huge! "How many people will this place hold?" I wondered out loud.
"It'll seat 1,200," a voice from behind us answered. We turned around and saw a dark-haired man who looked to be in his mid-thirties. He was thin and wore a goatee. "Hi," he said. "I'm Bobby Jones."
Justin and I introduced ourselves and shook Bobby's hand. "We're really glad to be here," I said. "This is a great opportunity for us!"
"I think it will work out well for everyone," Bobby responded. "Let me take you down to the stage so you can meet our chief musician and stage manager, Beau. He and Jennifer will get you ready for tomorrow night. Jennifer takes care of hair and makeup. But I don't think she'll have much work to do on either of you – you're both cute as hell already. The girls in the audience will be drooling!"
Justin and I were embarrassed by Bobby's comment, and I felt myself blushing. We followed Bobby down to the stage, and he introduced us to Beau, a heavy-set man in his late fifties. Beau's hair and beard were gray, and he wore round, gold-rimmed, thick glasses. As we found out that afternoon, he was a no-nonsense man who liked to get straight down to business.
Beau showed us around backstage, pointing out the dressing rooms and where Justin and I would enter the stage from the wings. He showed us how he wanted us placed on the stage and how to adjust the removable microphones placed on stands with tripod bases. "Okay," he said. "Let's hear your first song."
Justin and I sang "All I Have to Do Is Dream," and Beau liked it. "Just make sure to look at the audience - and smile!" he said. "You've got to charm all the women who come to the show. We want all of them going home and telling their friends how cute you two are!"
"And that we're good musicians, right?" I added.
"Yeah," Beau answered, "That, too."
Justin had the sheet music for a dozen other songs we knew. Beau looked through the pile and picked out four songs to add to our set. We rehearsed them, and Beau challenged me to sing louder and make sure I enunciated clearly. He wanted Justin to tone down some of the elaborate finger patterns he used while playing the guitar. "I want you to do a guitar solo during your last song," Beau told Justin. "That's when you can `go to town' and show Tucson what a boy from Arkansas can do!"
After planning out the order of the songs Beau picked for us to perform, we began working on "Itsy Bitsy, Tiny Weenie, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini." Justin and I quickly learned the lyrics and the music, but Beau insisted that we liven it up. "This is a comedy song, and we want everyone laughing their guts out!" he said. Then he explained how the girl would be dancing upstage and what he wanted me to do while Justin did his guitar solo.
"I can't do that!" I said as I blushed for the second time that afternoon. "I'd be too embarrassed!"
"This is show business," Beau said to me sternly. "There's no such word as `can't' in our dictionary. You will do it, and you'll be fine. Now, go see Jennifer in the back. She'll figure out your hair and makeup. And Debbie will make sure you have the right stuff to wear."
Justin and I met with Jennifer, and she looked us over carefully. "We need to change your hair!" she said to me. "Most country music fans don't like the modern styles. Justin, you're fine as you are. You'll both need light makeup, so your faces don't look shiny under the lights."
"Where do I go to get a haircut?" I asked. "Is there a barbershop around here?"
"Yeah," Jennifer said. "But I'll cut your hair while we're waiting for Debbie." She pulled up a wooden chair and told me to sit down. In just a few minutes, she had my hair looking like every other conservative county boy's hair – cut short on the sides, off the ears, off the collar in the back, and longer on the top. It was pretty different from the style I got at the Chameleon Station salon in Connecticut.
When I was done, I noticed Justin trying not to laugh. "Hey! I don't need any comments from the peanut gallery!" I said defensively. Justin turned away so that I couldn't see the grin on his face.
"Oh, come on!" I said as I looked in the mirror. "I don't look that bad."
"Why don't you have Jennifer bleach your hair and put some freckles on your face?" Justin said as he continued to tease me. "You'd look like Jay North from the `Dennis the Menace' show."
"Hey!" I said. "I was going for the Tony Dow look from `Leave it to Beaver."
"You mean Beaver's brother? The guy with the curly hair?" Justin asked.
Before I could say anything, Jennifer exclaimed, "That's it! We need to make your hair on the top curly. It'll drive the girls nuts!" She got out a curling iron and worked on me for a good twenty minutes. Then, she looked at Justin. "Well, what do you think?" she asked.
"It's okay," Justin said, seemingly unimpressed.
Jennifer turned away for a moment, and Justin's facial expression changed. He opened his eyes wide, and he fanned his face with one hand as if he were too warm. Then, he held both of his thumbs up in the air and mouthed the words, "You look HOT!"
I smiled at Justin, and we both knew what we couldn't say but desperately wanted to tell each other. We needed to be alone together – as soon as possible! Unfortunately, that didn't work out too well that evening.
After meeting with Debbie about what she would have us wear for the next day's performance, Bobby Jones came down to the stage to talk to us. "James," he said. "You're having dinner with your father tonight. And Justin, you'll eat with the band. They want to talk with you about filling in if one of their guitarists can't play for some reason. After dinner, you'll both be staying at the Hotel Congress down the street."
I was surprised that I was having dinner with my father, but I was sort of pleased. I wanted to get to know him better. Justin looked thrilled that he might get to sit in with my dad's band. And we were both excited that after a long day, we could share a room at the Hotel Congress - and finally be alone together!"
"This is all last minute," Bobby said to us. "So, I had to put you in with some of the crew members. I hope you don't mind."
Justin couldn't help looking greatly disappointed, and I felt my heart fall into my stomach. "Sure," I lied. "That's okay."
Dad and I ate at Dolce Vita, a fine dining establishment on the east side of Tucson. I was a little nervous as we were seated at a table in the middle of the room. The tables around us were full, and some of the restaurant patrons recognized my dad and smiled at him. He nodded his head to several of them.
"So. James," my dad said. "I was sorry to hear that your dad – ah, I mean Ted Covington, passed away. I'm sure you and your mother were devastated."
"Thanks," I said. "It was hard on both of us, but Mom is really shaken up. She was by his side till the end."
"I remember Ted," my dad said. "I'm sure he was a good husband and father, but he didn't seem like a warm or caring kind of guy. But I know your mother loved him. I never had a real chance with her."
I was surprised that my dad, my biological father, implied that Mom was the one who broke off their relationship. From what she had told me, I thought it was the other way around. But I let it go. I was not ready to have that conversation.
"I hope this isn't an upsetting topic for you, but I'd like to know more about your kidnapping. It must have been horrible! Are you doing alright? I mean, since you were able to escape?"
I looked away from my dad and took a deep breath. Turning back towards him, I said, "Thanks for asking. It was pretty bad. One of the guys hit me a lot, and I was scared to death." I decided not to talk about what Darryl had made me do. "You know that I killed one of them, don't you?"
"I heard about that from the FBI," Dad explained. "They contacted me first about the ransom. I told them I'd pay it if they thought it would help."
I was dumbfounded! My mom had made it clear that she and Ted Covington would not risk paying out a million dollars when they thought my safe return wasn't assured. Yet here was my biological father, whom I barely knew, willing to pay my ransom.
"Thank you," I said. "That means a lot to me."
"Look, James." my dad said. "I know I haven't been a father to you, and you have every right to resent me for that. My dad left my mother with three kids to take care of. I was just a baby when he took off. We never heard from him again. I promised myself if I ever had children, I'd be there for them. I haven't kept that promise with you. It's just that when your mom decided to marry Ted Covington – well, things became complicated."
"I understand," I said. "Growing up, I had everything a kid could want – well, except for parents who liked me. Dad – I mean Ted Covington – was very disappointed in me. I was not interested in team sports, and he thought I was a sissy. I liked music and books. He liked hunting and fishing. He actually told me that he regretted ever agreeing to raise my mother's bastard child. And the next day, Mom and Dad sent me to live with Aunt Gretchen."
Dad looked upset. "I'm sorry," he said. "I always thought you were going to have a great life. Your mother is so kind and loving, and Ted Covington was richer than anybody has a right to be."
"What?" I asked incredulously. "You think my mother is kind and loving?!? Dad, Mom is cold - and distant! She drinks too much and smokes like a chimney. She only cares about what other people think of her. When she brought me home after being kidnapped and beaten, she was afraid that people would think I had been in a street fight. She never asked how I was doing or if I were okay. But she made sure that I wore makeup to cover the bruises on my face."
"I had no idea, James," Dad said. "I feel terrible that I wasn't there for you."
Dad and I talked for two hours over dinner that night. It was a good evening, and I felt like he cared about me. That was deeply satisfying.
When I went to the Hotel Congress later that night, Justin was already there with two guys from the crew. Both guys were tall and skinny, but they looked to be quite strong. They were in charge of all the instruments, sound equipment, and luggage for the tour.
Justin asked about dinner with my dad. Since other people were listening to our conversation, I just told him that it was fine. "We had a good time," I said. "Did you get a chance to talk with the band?"
"I did!" he said. "I'm going to start rehearsing with them so that if they need me to fill in some time, I'll be ready."
Unfortunately, that was pretty much all we could share with each other that night. Everyone was in bed asleep early.
Justin and I had breakfast the next morning at the Cup Café on the hotel's first floor. "We've got to find some alone time," Justin said as we ate our bacon and scrambled eggs and drank our orange juice. "I'm going crazy being so close to you but not being able to – you know." Then, he dropped his voice and whispered, "make love."
"Me, too," I said. "But I had an idea about that. I'm going to rent another room tonight - just for us."
"That'd be great!" Justin responded. "But will Bobby agree to pay for it – as part of the tour?"
"I'm not going to ask him to pay for it. I'm going to put it on my credit card," I explained. "I can afford it. I got a nice inheritance from my dad – my Connecticut dad."
"Are you rich?" Justin asked.
"Let's just say that I don't have to worry about paying for a hotel room in Tucson," I said, trying to avoid talking about the details of my inheritance. I thought that someday I'd tell Justin the whole story about my dad's Will. But I thought now was not the time.
After breakfast, Justin and I walked over to the Rialto theater. Beau wanted us to rehearse most of the day, and we also had to see Debbie, the wardrobe lady, again. After we finished with rehearsal, Beau said we were ready for our performance. "You guys will be great," he said. "Just remember to smile!"
Debbie had fancy, western-style outfits for us – embroidery on the upper parts of our denim shirts, string ties, tight-fitting jeans, cowboy boots, and Stetson hats. It wasn't a look I would ever choose for myself, but I did think I looked pretty cool. And Justin looked really cute - and sexy! I was looking forward to the show that night, but I think I was even more excited about spending the night with Justin.
We skipped lunch and dinner that day. Justin and I were too keyed up to eat, and we didn't want to risk indigestion before going out onstage.
Jennifer put light makeup on both of us just before the show began. And she freshened up the curls in my hair. "I want everybody to see your curly hair," she said, "So, you'll come onto the stage without your hats. They'll be on a table behind your microphones. You can put them on before you start singing."
Dad came down to the stage as Justin and I were getting ready to open the show. "You'll be great, guys," he said. "Break a leg!" Then, he hugged us both.
Beau walked onto the stage first to an enthusiastic round of applause. After he introduced himself, he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Darren McCoy's `Sing for America' tour. We couldn't be more pleased to be in the great city of Tucson, Arizona!" There was more clapping and a few two-fingered whistles when Beau mentioned the name of their hometown. "Y'all sure know how to make a bunch of country folk from Tennessee feel right at home! Now, we've got a great show for you tonight. Darren and his Smokey Mountain Boys will be out here shortly. But first, we've got a real treat for you. We have two amazing young performers here tonight to get things started. Please welcome James McCoy and Justin Pennel! Come on out, Boys!"
Justin and I walked onto the stage. We smiled and waved to the audience - just as we had been coached to do. Beau shook our hands. "Welcome. Welcome to our tour, Boys!" he said. "It's your first night with us. So, before you get to singing, tell us a little about yourselves. Where y'all from?"
"We're from Tellico Falls, Arkansas, Sir," Justin said. "And may I say, James and I are honored to be here tonight. Joining this tour and coming to Tucson is the biggest thing that has ever happened to us."
"Well, we're pleased to have you with us," Beau said. "So, what do you boys do back in Tellico Falls?"
"We're still in high school," Justin said. "Go, Falcons!" The audience laughed at Justin's charming and youthful answer.
Beau stepped closer to me. "So, James," he asked. "How'd you guys get started singing together?" he asked.
"Well, just like most country singers do, I guess," I said. "Singing in the Baptist church on Sunday mornings." The audience liked my answer, and I heard some `Amens' called out from the crowd.
Beau turned back to Justin. "And how'd two high school boys wind up getting this gig?" he asked. "You ever open for other country stars?"
"No," Justin answered. "James and I sang in a country music show in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and Darren McCoy was there. I guess he liked us enough to ask us to come to Tucson."
"Wow, that's pretty exciting for boys your age. Did you know Mr. McCoy before that?" Beau asked as he held the microphone up to me.
I had been coached on how to answer that question. I didn't exactly lie. But I left out that I met Darren McCoy for the first time at that show in Jonesboro.
Looking embarrassed and hesitant as I had practiced, I said, "He's my dad."
Justin jumped in quickly as planned. "But that's not the reason we got this gig! We earned it! Well, at least I did."
"Hey!" I said to Justin. "If I only got here because of my dad, then you only got here by riding on my coattails!"
"Now, Boys!" Beau said in a reproachful tone. "Let's not argue. Why don't you show the good people of Tucson why you were really chosen to start the show tonight? What are you going to sing first?"
"It's called `All I Have to Do Is Dream.' Justin said.
"Well then, let's get to it!" Beau said as he gave us an encouraging slap on our backs and left the stage.
Justin and I put on our Stetson hats, strapped on our guitars, and adjusted our microphones. Justin played the introduction to the song. I took in the magnificence of the large and stately auditorium, the glow from the footlights, and the enthusiasm of the audience. As we began singing, I could feel the sadness of missing someone deeply, and I think that came through in my voice. And what can I say? Justin was fabulous – as always.
The audience liked the song, and they applauded loudly when we finished. And the following three songs went well, too. We sang Elvis Pressley's Love Me Tender,' Willie Nelson's Crazy Arms,' and I Walk the Line' by Johnny Cash. Next, we sang, I Saw the Light' by Hank Williams, Jr. Beau had agreed with me to add a harmonica section to that song.
Just before our final song, Beau came back on stage. The audience was still clapping for the classic county and western hymn we had just finished. "That was great, Boys!" he said. "You really know the old favorites. But, how about changing things up a bit for your last number. I was thinking of something newer. Maybe a song the teenagers are listening to on the radio?"
"Like the Rolling Stone's, `I Can't Get No Satisfaction?' Something like that?" Justin asked, pretending to be excited at the prospect of doing a sexy new chart-topper.
"Ah, No!" Beau said emphatically. "James, help me out here! Do you have any better ideas?"
"How about the one we rehearsed all afternoon?" I said mischievously.
"Perfect!" Beau said. He left the stage, and Justin played the introduction to `Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini.' I sang lead.
Justin:
Bop bop bop bop bopopopopopopop
James:
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was as nervous as she could be
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was afraid that somebody would see
Justin:
Two three four
Tell the people what she wore
James:
It was an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini
So in the locker, she wanted to stay
Justin:
Two three four
Stick around we'll tell you more
Bop bop bop bop bopopopopopopop
James:
She was afraid to come out in the open
And so a blanket around her she wore
She was afraid to come out in the open
And so she sat, bundled up on the shore
Justin:
Two three four
Tell the people what she wore
James:
It was an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini
So in the blanket, she wanted to stay
Justin:
Two three four
Stick around we'll tell you more
Bop bop bop bop bopopopopopopop
James:
Now she's afraid to come out of the water
And I wonder what she's gonna do
Now she's afraid to come out of the water
And the poor little girl's turning blue
Justin:
Two three four
Tell the people what she wore
James:
It was an itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today
An itsy bitsy teeny weeny yellow polka dot bikini
So in the water, she wanted to stay
James and Justin:
From the locker to the blanket
From the blanket to the shore
From the shore to the water
James:
Guess there isn't any more
While Justin and I sang the song, a girl in a yellow polka dot bikini danced upstage from us. Beau had told us to ignore her and act as if we didn't even know she was there. But we heard a few men holler out, "whit-whew!" Since we were pretty sure those exclamations of admiration were not for us, we assumed the girl was on stage.
As Justin began his guitar solo, I was stage right. I felt a tap on my left shoulder. I turned around to see the girl in the bikini smiling at me. I acted shocked! Then the girl took my hand and practically dragged me off stage with her. I followed, seemingly reluctant, with my guitar strap still over my shoulder.
I could hear Justin's guitar solo as I rushed to get ready to go back out on stage. I was embarrassed by what I had to do, but I had no choice. It was part of my job. Justin's solo performance was fantastic, and the audience loved it! They applauded enthusiastically for him as he finished up.
Justin and I were supposed to sing the last part of the song a second time to end our program. So, after his guitar solo, Justin began to sing:
From the locker to the blanket
But when Justin realized that I wasn't on stage, he stopped. He looked around, seeming surprised. "James?" he hollered out.
From the wings, I called out, "I'll be right there!"
"James! We have to finish our set! The audience is waiting!" Justin yelled.
Then, from off stage, my dad spoke into a microphone. "James!" he said sternly. "This is your father. Get out on stage = right now!"
"Okay," I said with a shaky voice, but still loudly enough for the audience to hear me. Then, I sheepishly walked back on stage. I still had on my Stetson hat, but my shirt was completely off. I had a yellow polka dot scarf tied around my neck. And I walked clumsily – wearing only one boot.
Justin and I paused long enough for the audience to take in the scene and hopefully understand the joke. Then, Justin shook his head as if he were exasperated. "Sing, James!" he said. "Just sing!"
I snapped out of my sheepish character, and Justin and I sang confidently.
From the locker to the blanket
From the blanket to the shore
From the shore to the water
Guess there isn't any more
When we were done, the audience began clapping again. We pulled off our hats as we took our bows. Something fell out of my hat and onto the floor. Justin went over to see what it was, and he held up a yellow polka dot bikini bra. Then, the girl came out from stage right. She was wrapped in a blanket, and she looked mad. She grabbed the bra from Justin's hand and stormed back off stage.
I resumed my sheepish character as Justin pushed me off stage. "Say goodnight, James!" he said as if he were irritated.
I smiled broadly and waved. "Good night, everybody!"
I guess everything had gone well because Beau made us go back on stage in response to the audience's continuing applause.
It only took my dad and the Smokey Mountain Boys a few minutes to set up for the main part of the concert. I had never heard them in a live performance, and I was bowled over by how good they were. Justin and I were both mesmerized as we watched and listened from off stage.
After the concert ended and people began leaving the theater, my dad came up to Justin and me. "You guys ..." he said. "You guys were great! Bobby and Beau thought I was crazy when I suggested that two high school boys open the show for us. But now, they're both trying to take credit for your success!"
I thought maybe there'd be a party after the show – with food! But my dad and his band had been on tour for weeks. They just wanted to get to their rooms and go to sleep. Justin and I were starving after skipping lunch and dinner, so we struck out on our own in downtown Tucson to find somewhere to eat. We wound up at an Italian restaurant, and we inhaled our orders of lasagna and breadsticks. Our meals were delicious!
After eating, we walked back to the Hotel Congress. I picked up the key to our new room, and we went back to our first room to get our things. The two guys from the crew were already asleep, so we quietly packed our gear and managed to leave without disturbing either of them.
The hotel was quiet at that time of night, and Justin and I walked closely together and playfully knocked into each other as we walked down the corridor to our room. The sexual excitement between us was growing by the second!
There was only one double bed in the room – just what we needed without spending more for a second bed that we would never use. "I'm going to take a shower," I said after setting my suitcase on the luggage rack. "I need to wash off this makeup. Want to join me?"
"I'd better not," he said. "I think I'd blow my load in an instant if I felt your wet, soapy body up against mine. You go ahead, and I'll shower after you're done."
I showered, brushed my teeth, and gargled with Listerine. Then, I went back to the room wearing a towel around my waist. "I'll be right back!" Justin said. "Don't go anywhere!"
"Where does he think I'd go?" I wondered out loud as I chuckled to myself.
When Justin came back from his shower, he was naked. My God, he was so handsome! Tall, muscular, and masculine. He had no hair on his chest, but there was a trail of light blond hair from his navel downward. His cut cock was just a little bit larger than average, but it was perfectly shaped. His testicles hung down low.
I was stretched out in the bed. I had taken off my towel, but I had the covers pulled up. I had one bare leg mostly exposed. I was trying to look sexy. I guess it worked because Justin took one look at me and literally jumped onto the bed. I threw off the covers. Immediately, we were wrapped in each other arms and kissing passionately. Oh my God! It felt so good to feel his body against mine again!
"How long has it been?" Justin asked as we broke our kiss momentarily.
"Since a few days before I was kidnapped, but it seems like forever!" I replied breathlessly. I stared into his beautiful blue eyes. "I've missed you!"
"I've missed you more!" Justin said. "I was afraid I'd never see you again."
I thought back to the day Justin and I met, and I had teased him in the cafeteria at Tellico Falls high school. "Why is that?" I asked. "Did you think the Mars Commander may have ended my surveillance assignment on earth?"
"No," Justin said in a serious tone. "I was afraid that the kidnappers would kill you."
Justin's comment made me remember how scared I had been when I was abducted. Now, I was touched by how sincere Justin sounded when he shared his fear for my life. My eyes teared up, and I wrapped my arms around Justin's neck as I pulled him closer.
"I love you, James," he said. "All I want is to be with you."
By this time, I was clinging to Justin and trying not to cry. I had lived a life of privilege, but I had never felt loved. With Justin, I knew I was loved, and I knew I loved him, too. Justin filled a void in my soul, and I was happier than I had ever been. We held each other tightly for a long time before our passions took over again, and we began to express our love for each other by giving in to our demanding sexual desires.
I felt Justin's hand reach down and take hold of my dick. I was hard as a rock, and Justin's touch almost sent me over the moon! His fingers were gently exploring my cock. He paid particular attention to the head of my penis, and he ran his index finger along the sensitive underside of my erection.
"How does that feel?" he whispered.
I looked at him dreamily, barely able to speak. "Nothing has ever felt this good," I said. I reached for his dick and touched it in the same way as Justin was fondling me. We pulled our chests together tightly, and Justin started kissing and nuzzling against my neck as we continued to caress each other's cock and balls. I was delirious with excitement!
Our fondling turned into stroking, lubricated with precum oozing out of both of us. Being with Justin again in this private and intimate way was glorious! I felt so close to him, almost as if we were one. His hand caressing and going up and down on my cock was magical, and I was transfixed with sensual pleasure. And touching his engorged manhood was adding to my incredible sense of euphoria.
Justin rolled over onto his back. Our bodies merged so that we were pressed against each other - from our legs to our genitals and from our abdomens to our chests. Justin pulled my head down toward his. His lips were all over my neck and face. I lay there mesmerized by the feel of my body on top of Justin's. He scooted backward so that my cock slid over his balls and came to rest against his ass. Then, I felt him lift his hips as he took hold of both of my butt cheeks and pull me against his sphincter.
Whenever Justin and I had made love in the past, he had always been on top. I was perfectly content to let him push his way into me. In fact, I loved how he dominated me and filled me up with his thick, perfectly shaped, cut cock. I craved looking up into his handsome, boyish face as he closed his eyes and basked in the pure physical joy of our sexual union. Today, however, it seemed that Justin wanted to switch things up. I had never thought too much about being on top, but the feeling of my cock rubbing against his entrance was wildly exciting.
We stopped for just a moment and looked deeply into each other's eyes. "Are you sure?" I whispered.
Justin nodded his head, "I've never tried it this way, but I really want you to make love to me, James. You're bigger than I am, so just go slowly, okay?"
I smiled at Justin. "Just let me know if you want me to stop."
Justin wrapped his arms around me and pulled me down into a passionate, demanding kiss. Our lips locked together as our tongues met and swirled around in each other's mouths. The intensity of our connection was overwhelming! There was nothing in the world that I wanted more than to show my love for Justin by bringing him to an incredible, sole satisfying orgasm!
I pushed against his entrance, and I felt him push back. I was still leaking precum as I managed to insert the head of my dick into him. I stopped briefly to make sure Justin wasn't in pain. He seemed fine. "Do it, James," he said as he used his hands to pull me further into him. I resisted a strong urge to thrust my cock swiftly and deeply into him. Instead, I proceeded slowly until I heard him gasp. "Okay," he said breathlessly. "Stop. Give me a minute!"
I stopped and lowered my head so that I could whisper in his ear. "You are the sexiest guy I have ever met, Justin. Your body is driving me crazy! I want you to relax and enjoy this as much as I am."
Justin turned toward me and lifted his face to mine. We looked into each other's eyes momentarily before he began kissing my neck. I raised my head and let him run his lips and tongue over me slowly. Without even intending to, I pushed my cock deeper into him. The sensations of his kisses on my neck and my cock pulsating within his warm, inviting ass were overwhelming. I felt Justin spread his hips wider, and I slid all the way inside of him.
Justin stopped kissing my neck, and I looked at his face. He seemed startled, but he didn't cry out in pain. He put his arms around me and pulled me into a wonderous embrace that seemed to complete our desires to be part of each other – two bodies merging into one, bound together with love.
I couldn't resist the urge to begin an `in and out' motion. My cock was throbbing inside of Justin. He met my movements with his own, and soon we were in perfect sync with each other. The overwhelming sensations of our sexual merging took over my full awareness.
"Oh God, James!" Justin panted. "Just like that. You're driving me crazy!"
I lifted my torso so that I could stroke Justin's cock as I continued to slide in and out of him. He gasped out loud when I sensually ran a hand up and down his magnificent erection. After a few minutes, I felt his body start to tremble, and I heard his breathing become shallow. "I'm going to cum!" he said. "Don't stop!"
Moments later, I heard his muffled scream as he came with such force and volume that he shot his load onto his face, covering his closed eyes and forehead. He squeezed the muscles in his ass so tightly together that he sent me over the edge, and I filled him up with weeks of semen that had built up in me.
After reaching the most incredible and simultaneous orgasms imaginable, Justin and I lingered in the bliss of the combination of love and sexual ecstasy and relief. As I caught my breath and my dick slid out of him, I leaned down and took him in my arms. We lay together like that for a long time. Neither one of us wanted the glory of the moment to end.
Eventually, I repositioned myself to lie against Justin's side, and I had one arm resting on his chest. I looked up and realized that he was asleep. I snuggled closer and listened to his heart beating. It was an idyllic moment, and I felt myself drifting off, too.
Sometime during the night, I woke up to find that neither Justin nor I had moved. It was as if we had to be joined together – physically and emotionally. And nothing could separate us from each other.
My mind wandered to thoughts of what might be ahead for Justin and me. He was only sixteen years old. In a few months, I would be fifteen. Although I felt all grown up and ready to take full responsibility for making all of life's decisions for myself, I knew that my future, particularly my future with Justin, was yet to be decided. I assumed that Justin would go back to Tellico Falls after the tour with my dad ended. I was fairly sure Justin would want to finish his senior year at home. But where would I go? Home to Connecticut? Tennessee with my dad? Or could I move back to Tellico Falls, get an apartment for myself, and go to school with Justin?
My situation reminded me of the story of The Caine Mutiny, which I had read on the bus trip to Tellico Falls. The main character, Willie Keith, endured a contentious relationship with his mother. He left home in World II to serve on The Caine, an old and poorly managed Destroyer / Minesweeper. His living conditions were terrible. When the crew took over control of the ship from an incompetent and mean-spirited Lieutenant, Willy was arrested and tried for mutiny. Fortunately, he was not convicted. The story did not end, however, with a clear and happy ending. The author, Herman Wouk, left one storyline unresolved. Willie was competing for the affection of May Wynn, the woman he loved. I wanted to know that Willie and May stayed together and lived happily ever after, but when the book ended, that was up in the air.
In many ways, my relationship with my mother, being banished to Arkansas, abused by my cousin, and then kidnapped, seemed to parallel Willie's life. And although he fell in love in the end, his future was very much unsettled. So was mine.
After lying awake for almost half an hour worrying about my future, I made a decision. For now, I was just going to enjoy the summer. I would savor every moment of being on tour with my dad. I wanted to enjoy learning to perform in front of audiences across the county. I would make the most of seeing new sights and meeting new people. And most of all, I would be with Justin – for as long as I possibly could. And no matter what happened in the future, I now knew what it felt like to love someone who loved you back.
The End
That's the end of Everything But Love. Please send your thoughts and comments to me at joelyoung120@outlook.com.