Lawn Boy, Chapter 2
Several blocks away, Liam lay naked in his bed on that Sunday night, pondering his weekend. He was virtually overwhelmed by what was going on in his head. What he felt for Perrin was electrifying, breathtaking, spectacular, disorienting – he couldn't find the right adjective. He'd known the guy only a couple of days and was already developing a major crush, something stronger than he'd ever experienced before. Was this what love felt like; or was it a lustful attraction? He'd had the hots for a guy or two in the past, but only momentarily, and not at this level of intensity.
So far, there was no way for him to know if those feelings were mutual. If he acted impulsively, he could get hurt, and lose any chance of furthering their friendship. He knew his family, including his little brother, would support him, but he still felt vulnerable.
This was one of those nights when he was unusually thankful he had his own room, as he tried to settle down to sleep. If he were still sharing with Kellan, he'd have a difficult time hiding his restlessness. He would also be self-conscious of his nudity, and the activity he would soon engage in.
His father had added a master bedroom suite onto the house six years ago when Liam was turning 12, and had given his son the old one with its attached three-quarter bath. The timing couldn't have been better; it coincided perfectly with the onset of puberty, and Liam had always appreciated the privacy it provided for exploring his changing body. Tonight, it was especially welcome, as there was nothing but air between his throbbing erection and the ceiling fan.
He searched his phone to find the pix he had surreptitiously taken when he was with Perrin in the afternoon. He had felt like a voyeur for doing it, but having the images was worth the momentary feelings of guilt. The photos weren't full-on frontal because he couldn't have managed that without getting caught, but there was a beautiful profile shot that left nothing to the imagination, and a rear pose in which Perrin's ball-sac hug low enough to be visible as he bent to pick up his underwear. With these visual aids, it took only a few minutes of gentle stroking to produce results. He scooped up most of the nectar with his fingers and sucked them clean. He spread the remaining residue in a thin coating over his taut abs.
Liam slept well after that.
During the first part of the following week, the guys saw one another only briefly between classes, but they did exchange text messages. While the contents of those communications were of no significance, they provided a way of becoming better acquainted. The guys frequently exchanged bits of news about how their day was going. Both were holding back on how often they tested, trying not to act too eager and frighten the other one off. A third-party observer might have snickered over their subdued flirting; however, they felt they were being clever.
In the process of sharing trivia, they were bonding.
Both had coursework to occupy many of their waking hours, though Liam's schedule was lighter than Perrin's in that regard. However, he did have several lawns to mow in addition to studying. He already had two new customers, thanks to Perrin's recommending him to people in the neighborhood. The additional commitments kept him moving, but he loved making the extra bucks. He had nearly enough in his account to get serious about shopping for a vehicle of his own.
On Tuesday, Perrin texted Liam saying he would be available to do the trimming on Thursday afternoon when the yard would need attention again. If the evening rain-showers kept falling on their present schedule, the yard would need mowing at least twice a week. That news put a big smile on Liam's face, not only because of the income, but for the togetherness.
On Wednesday, they managed to meet for a snack-break between two morning classes. They sat in the student union beaming at each other like life-long buddies.
Since Liam's home was the opposite direction from the junior college, he rode his bicycle to Perrin's house on Thursday to keep the latter from going out of his way, and therefore let them get an early start. Using the remote Perrin had loaned him, he opened the security gate. Once inside the fenced property, he headed directly to the shed where he dialed the combination lock to open it. He had both mowers out, gassed up, and ready to go by the time Perrin arrived.
It was a rather hot afternoon, and both guys had chosen to wear flimsy nylon shorts to keep cool. Both had also gone commando. As Perrin cut in around trees and bushes as usual, Liam was treated to the evidence of a certain amount of cock-swinging in the process. He wondered if his friend was aware of the show he was providing.
They stopped for three water breaks, but still got the job done in the usual amount of time.
"We're done early enough for a dip in the pool, unless you have too much to do at home. If we run late, I can put your bike in the back of the van and take you home."
"I thought you said you wouldn't be caught dead driving the soccer-mom-mobile," Liam teased.
"I normally wouldn't, but I'll do it to keep you here longer," Perrin said, looking into Liam's eyes.
"Um, thanks," Liam gulped.
Damn! He was losing his cool! He hoped Perrin wouldn't notice.
In the shower, they both quickly plumped up to about half-mast. They blushed and turned to hide their unruly dicks. By the time they plunged into the pool, they were almost fully erect. Of course, the cool water brought them back under control. Liam took comfort in the knowledge that he wasn't the only one being affected. Maybe Perrin WAS boyfriend material.
There wasn't time to lie around naked, and that was probably for the best. It would have been difficult not to throw wood again. They were looking forward to relieving their condition at bedtime.
Before Saturday's mowing, each would take himself in hand, so he'd have at least some control. Being virile young men nearing the peak of their sexual prowess, they had to stay drained if they didn't want to chance an embarrassing situation.
As the weeks passed, their lives fell into a familiar rhythm. It wasn't as exciting as it was comfortable. Thursdays and Saturdays meant working on the Prichard's lawn and Sunday afternoon was devoted to running, rain or shine. Liam's parents had Perrin over for supper on those evenings. Despite the delicious meals, Perrin was losing a few pounds of fat, and getting his body toned.
The Neuhaus family invited Perrin to spend the Fourth of July holiday with them. He was elated! The Bachmann's, a family from his father's church, extended an invitation a day later, and he could be honest in turning it down because he had a prior commitment. He was relieved that he wouldn't be spending the day avoiding their daughter, Naomi, who had obvious designs on him.
The celebration with the Neuhaus family was a cookout in the backyard which included, as guests, a few of their neighbors and friends from church. Perrin was impressed by how genuine the church members seemed when compared to the ones he might have been stuck with. Evidently being sanctimonious and saccharine weren't prerequisites for being Christian!
When the July heat made some lawns go dormant, Perrin set the sprinkling system on a regular program so their grass would need cutting on the same schedule it did before the heavens were shut up. Watering like that wasn't anything unusual at his house, because Peter Prichard never wanted his lawn to look less than perfect. So, watering not only followed his father's expectations, but ensured that he would be with Liam on a regular basis.
Liam's business did fall off with the dry spell. Many of his clients didn't want to spend the money on water, especially since the city charged a higher rate in the summer. He began to despair that he wouldn't save up enough to buy a vehicle after all. The family van was what he used to haul the trailer with his mowing equipment, and he was thankful for the use of it, but it wasn't as cool as a pickup would be.
On the third Friday evening of the month, Liam received good news that would compensate for his loss of income. His father came home smiling, pulled Cindy up off her chair, and danced across the kitchen floor with her.
"I got a promotion today! All my hard work on acquiring the Siever's account paid off, I have a large bonus check, and my salary has increased by $30,000 per year."
"That's wonderful!" Cindy exclaimed. "We're definitely comfortable now."
"Cool!" both boys said in unison.
"Now Liam can have his sex-change operation," Kellan giggled.
"Dude, I'm gay, not trans. You need to keep your terms straight."
"You're the one who isn't straight!"
"Boys, boys! Stop the teasing and let's be serious. With your mother's permission," he said looking at his wife, "I want to split half of my bonus check between the two of you. You can put it into your savings accounts toward a car. I trust you won't spend it frivolously, but use it for something that's important to you."
"That's a good place to put a chunk of the money," Cindy agreed. "We don't really need it for anything at the moment, though we might save the other part for a winter cruise."
"Does the money have to stay in the bank a specified period of time?" Liam asked.
"No, you can use it immediately. I think Kellan should save his at least until he's old enough to drive."
"If I go shopping for a vehicle tomorrow, will you want to come along, Dad?"
"I'm willing to, but I think it would be good experience for you to handle it on your own. You might consider taking Perrin with you. It can't hurt to have a second opinion. I'd highly recommend you check prices at Holub Motors before you settle on something. You know Chuck Holub from church owns it, and he's as honest as Abe. I'm not saying you have to buy from a Christian-owned business, but I know he wouldn't screw you."
Liam spent an hour or more revisiting pickups he'd been researching on the `net for the past several weeks. Some of the ones he dreamed of owning had long since been sold, but others were still available, as well as newer ones on the market which might be even better. He texted Perrin to see if he would accompany him to a few car dealerships on Saturday after they finished with the yard. He said he would treat him to lunch.
Perrin seemed eager to go.
The young men showered together after finishing the lawn on Saturday. It was becoming a regular thing, and reminded them of a locker room scenario, except without the towel snapping. Because it had turned into a routine, neither teen became aroused as easily as they had initially.
With clean bodies and clothes, as well as a fresh application of deodorant, they headed for a favorite Mexican restaurant on the way to car-shopping.
Their pretty waitress flirted with them shamelessly. It might have been that she found them attractive, but they suspected she was looking for a good tip. Liam was more impressed with the busboy, who was adorable. He was pretty sure that Perrin assessed the boy's body too. That gave him hope.
Searching for the right vehicle turned out to be an arduous task. Several of the small pickups Liam had liked on-line turned out to be dogs up close and personal. He was discouraged. However, at their last stop, Holub Motors, he found a silver one with a club cab that filled the bill, and was affordable. The main drawback was its lack of a hitch to pull the small trailer for hauling his mowing equipment.
Charles, the owner, recognized Liam, and came over to see how the deal was going. After a short visit, he took Bob, the salesman, to his office and had a brief tete-a-tete with him. Upon his return, Bob said there was a suitable hitch on a wrecked truck they were parting out, and the company would throw it in as part of the deal. There would be no charge for the hitch or its installation. Liam couldn't maintain his poker-face any longer. He smiled broadly as he put a small deposit on it so they'd hold it until Tuesday. He could still change his mind. Chuck didn't want any of his customers to feel railroaded into a deal that they might later regret. "Buyer's remorse" wasn't even in his vocabulary.
The guys went back to Perrin's house because they had missed their afternoon time in the pool, and Liam called his parents to let them know.
"Hi Mom, I hope you won't be angry with me for the short notice. I'm planning to take Perrin out for dinner to celebrate my new truck that I found at Holub's, and he's asked me to stay overnight, and we might catch a movie as well."
"You're an adult, and you don't need my permission, but you do have my blessing. I appreciate it that you're thoughtful in letting us know where you'll be so we don't worry. Will you be at church tomorrow?
"We probably will unless we sleep in. Perrin would like to visit it.
"Hmm... This sounds interesting. In Grandma's time, a couple attending church together meant they were getting serious. We do allow same-sex weddings, you know."
"M-o-o-m! You'd better be thankful this isn't on speaker and Perrin's in the pool house."
"I apologize. I don't mean to embarrass you, but he would make a fine son-in-law."
"Thanks, Mom. I can only wish."
"It could happen, I'll say a prayer for both of you."
"Okay, bye, and thanks for your understanding."
"You know we love you and want the best for you. Bye."
"So, what's the word; are you allowed to do it?" Perrin asked as he returned to the patio.
"Mom said I'm old enough to make my own decisions and I have her blessing. She's pleased that I let her know where I'd be. Now all I need to do is go home for a few clothes and stuff."
"Wow! I wish my family operated like that. I'm still shocked that they didn't make me go to Europe with them, but I guess having me here was cheaper than hiring a house-sitter, and the missionary family who might have filled that role went to her parents' home instead. My freedom usually comes at a price.
"As far as clothes are concerned, we're about the same size. I can loan you something, and I have a spare toothbrush."
"Yeah, but we'll be out anyway."
"Not if we order pizza in and watch a movie here. Then we wouldn't have to get dressed at all. I'll put on basketball shorts long enough to answer the door."
"Okay, but remember I'm buying! This was my idea about treating you to dinner."
"Your parents have fed me a lot of times."
"And you've fed me many lunches. I want to do this!"
"Okay, I won't fight you."
Perrin ordered from a place that had a truck with a warming oven so the food stayed hot. It was delicious, and the guys sat nude at a glass-top table as they devoured it. They ended up just relaxing outside on the patio instead of bothering with a movie.
After one more dip in the pool around 9:30, the guys showered in the pool house and walked into the house wrapped in towels and carrying their discarded clothing.
Perrin turned the camera back on and rearmed the security system for the night.
"We have several bedrooms; where would you like to sleep?"
"Where would you like me to sleep?"
"No fair, I asked first. It's your choice."
"Any bedroom at all?"
"Yes!"
"How about yours, with you, and in the same bed?"
"Cool!"
"For real?"
"Yes, for real."
Their towels fell to the floor, and the two embraced, kissing for the first time. It was exponentially better than Liam had imagined.
Author's notes: A big thank-you to all who sent emails since I posted chapter 1. I appreciate all the encouragement I received. I hope I didn't leave anyone off the list: Freddie, Joe W, Mendy D, Walt Sz, Gordon, Charles G, GCD, Skip M, M. Cummins, Neville E, Byft, Geoff S, Steve C, Wayne, Steen J, Vern, Jae B, Bill K, Jake C, Dan B, Douglas and Lawrence, Tom A, Jim M, Marty H, Dan L, Glenn M, John L, Guy R, JLF, Bob O, Tom S, Rob T, Si R, Paul F, Jim W, Dick W, Dave B, Rusty, Kirk C, Avid R, Chandra B, John McD, David B, Keith M, Joe H, Tony C, Andy, Robert L, John M, Jeremy R, Zero M, and Paul R.
Thanks to David who is editing for me, and thanks to Nifty for providing the venue to post the story.
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