Tales from the Ranch

Disclaimer: The following story is a work of fiction. If you are offended by descriptions of homosexual acts or man/man relations, please exit this page.

TALES FROM THE RANCH Copyright 2002 by Tulsa Driller 7. All rights reserved.

This is a story of men who have two common interests. You will see that they love the land where they live and work, but it is also the story of young men who love other men and their coming of age in a culture of prejudice and misunderstanding. It is a story, which deals with difficult and often disturbing issues but, nonetheless, issues which must be confronted in today's world.

This is a work of fiction and in no way draws on the lives of any specific person or persons. Any similarity to actual persons or events is entirely coincidental. This work is copyrighted© by the author and may not be reproduced in any form without the specific written permission of the author. It is assigned to the Nifty Archives under the terms of their submission agreement but it may not be copied or archived on any other site without the written permission of the author.

PLEASE: In a perfect world AIDS doesn't exist. My characters have unprotected sex. I hope you use proper precautions because I'd like you to be around the read the last chapter of this story.

Chapter 9: Moving quickly

They both got up, Craig crossing to the door and opening it. As expected, it was Trisha from Le Gourmet Catering. She was carrying two bags, which contained salad, the entrée, vegetables and dessert for the two of them.

"If you'll show me the kitchen, I'll get the food out and show you what needs to be done, unless you want me to serve it?"

"No, Trisha, I think we can manage. I have plates out and the table is set, so I won't have to warm anything up, or worry about keeping the salad cold."

By this time she had all the sealed, plastic food containers out on the counter. There was a bottle with the salad dressing and she laid the receipt on the counter for Craig.

"Thanks..." they each started to say at the same time. Craig said, "I really appreciate you being able to accommodate my order tonight."

"Most of our orders are for last-minute meals because someone had to work late, or other reasons. We've only been in business for six months and we keep growing, thanks to people like you."

Craig showed her to the door and returned to the kitchen.

"As we were so rudely interrupted..." Craig said, putting his lips on Dale's. They exchanged a tongue-scorching kiss. "Uummm, that was worth waiting for all day. Are you ready to eat?"

Dale grinned, leaned in to give Craig a peck on the nose, saying, "Only if you promise we can continue where we just left off after we eat."

"You got it!!"

"I'll put the salad on the plates." Handing Dale a book of matches and the bottle of wine, he said, "You light the candles on the table and I'll pour the wine when we sit down."

Dale walked around the corner to do as he was asked. Craig shook the dressing container, tossed the great-looking salad and divided it between the plates. He carried the two plates to the dining table and motioned to indicate where he wanted Dale to sit. As Dale was sitting down, Craig filled their wine glasses.

"This looks like a good salad," Dale said.

"May I ask a blessing?" Craig asked.

"Certainly."

Craig held out his hands to Dale and they each bowed their heads.

"Our dear Heavenly Father, we come before you this evening to praise you for what you have given us today. We ask that you be with Dale and myself and that you bless our friendship with each other. Thank you for the food we are about to eat and for the nourishment to our bodies. Blessed be Your Holy Name. Amen."

Craig squeezed Dale's hands as they separated. Dale said, "That was a nice prayer, thank you." Then he added, "It seems strange to ask God to bless two gay men."

"Why not? We are creatures whom God put on the earth to be company for each other. The fact that we are gay doesn't make any difference to Him. We are His image."

"I've never thought of it that way."

They started to eat and both made an "MMmmm" as they tasted the salad. Dale said, "This is wonderful, certainly different than anything I've ever eaten before. Usually you just get a few lettuce leaves, some chunks of tomato and watery dressing. This has three kinds of lettuce, tomatoes, green pepper strips, carrot shavings, olives, raw mushrooms and pieces of something that I don't know what it is."

"Pickled eggplant," Craig replied.

Craig picked up his wine glass, held it up and said, "To us, wherever our friendship may lead."

"To us," Dale responded. They each took a sip of the wine, set their glasses down and smiled at each other. Craig reached for Dale's hand and squeezed it.

"I'm sure glad you're here. You are a super person and I want to get to know you better -- and not just in bed."

Dale blushed, "I can tell that this is going to be a very special friendship."

They continued eating in silence, each in their own thoughts. Their salads eaten, Craig pushed his chair back. Dale asked if he could bring the plates to the kitchen and Craig said, "Please."

Craig opened the containers containing the pork chops, rice pilaf and grilled vegetables and decided that maybe a quick cycle in the microwave would be a good idea. He started with the rice, then separately gave the pork chops and vegetables a minute or so.

Dale rinsed the salad plates and Craig told him to leave them in the sink, they could load the dishwasher later. As food was heated, Craig filled the plates. There was even a plastic bag containing chopped parsley for garnish and flavoring. They each carried a plate back to the table.

Craig took a sip of his wine, thinking Pinot Noir was a good choice. Dale took a sip of his. He didn't know anything about wine, but this had a good flavor. He had expected to taste something sweet, but was pleasantly surprised at what he smelled and tasted.

They started eating. The flavor was wonderful. Craig was thinking that maybe he should see about taking a cooking course. Dale was also wondering how this dish was prepared. He was used to either broiling a hamburger or steak or maybe using something like "Hamburger Helper" to make something a little more "exotic". He then thought about his choice of the word "exotic" and smiled.

"Penny for your thoughts," Craig said, wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"I was just thinking how much I liked the food. I've never done anything beyond broiling a steak, baking a potato and frozen vegetables. Just what I could get by with to satisfy my hunger."

Craig replied, "I think one of the stores here offers a cooking course. What do you say that we both go? I think it would be fun and I know that I could learn something. Anything I could fix at home would be ten-times better than going out to eat. I don't like `fast food' and would rather eat in a restaurant for a special occasion."

"I'm with you, and seem to order a lot of pizza. You get more for your money."

They laughed. Craig said, "If you believe their TV ads, it's more nourishing and healthful than Mickey D's. After all they now serve it in the school cafeterias."

Dale said, "Yeah, I'm game for the cooking course. Especially if you were with me."

Hands searched for each other's and a quick squeeze.

They continued eating and cleaned their plates. "There is enough for a second helping," Craig said.

"I'd split one pork chop, but I don't think I could eat a whole one by myself."

"Okay, come on to the kitchen and we can help ourselves."

The lids had been placed back on the containers so there was no need to warm the food up again.

They each took more food and returned to the table. It didn't take long before they were through eating. After asking Dale if he was finished, he stood up to take the plates back to the kitchen. Dale followed him.

As Craig was rinsing the dishes, Dale walked up behind him, wrapping his arms around Craig's chest and proceeded to wash out his right ear. It was a good thing that Dale was holding him up because he got weak in the knees and he felt his cock twitch. Carefully, he sat the dishes down and wiggled around so they were facing each other.

Grinning, he said, "Monkey feel, monkey do," and did the same to Dale. Their mouths found each other and they shared a passionate kiss as each rubbed the other's back and chest. This brought on an immediate swelling in the front of their pants. They reluctantly pulled away from each other, looking into the other's souls through their eyes.

"Hey babe, we still have dessert to go. Carrot cake."

Dale gave Craig another quick peck, and then said, "Let's have that, then see if we can `whip up' something else to enjoy."

"Only if I can help with the `whipping'," Craig teased.

"If things work out right, you can... if you promise to be good. And... from what I tasted last night, you are very good," Dale leered.

"Flattery will get you everywhere... and soon," snickered Craig. "I love your sense of humor. Almost as off-beat as mine."

He got small plates out of the cabinet and put large pieces of carrot cake on each. He handed Dale's plate to him and as he started to the table, Craig looked at the ticket Trisha had left. He was very surprised. It wasn't any more expensive than going to a nice restaurant and it certainly was more pleasant to eat in the comfort of one's own home.

Dale was just sitting down as Craig arrived at the table.

They ate dessert in silence, hardly taking their eyes off each other. Each was thinking about the other, how lucky they were and wondering what the next step might be in their relationship.

After they finished the carrot cake, they drank the wine in their glasses. Craig poured another half glass for each of them.

Craig took Dale's left hand in his right and brought the backside to his lips, kissing it. He held up his glass. "Here's to the nicest fellow I've ever met. Someone who I hope is going to be permanent in my life." He raised his glass.

Dale wasn't quite sure if he should say "thank you" or something else. He looked into Craig's eyes. "Here's to the most special man I've ever met. You are a person I trust completely."

They touched the rims of the glasses. Each had tears in their eyes and squeezed hands again. They emptied their glasses.

"It's my turn to insist on a `happy kitchen' tonight," Craig said. There isn't much to put away.

They went to the kitchen and all that was left was a little of the rice and a whole pork chop. He put this on a small plate, covered it with plastic wrap and placed it on the shelf in the refrigerator Dale watched him rinse the dishes again and load the dishwasher. There weren't enough dishes to run it. He rinsed out the containers from the caterer and placed them in the trash.

Then turning to each other, it was automatic that they embrace again, arms about each other and heads on the other's shoulders. It just felt natural and right.

They went to the living room to sit on the loveseat again. Instinctively, they sat so they could turn and face each other, holding one hand.

Dale pulled Craig's hand to his lips and kissed his fingers. "I have a wonderful warm feeling when we are together. I know we just met each other, but I trust you and hope you can guide me through the feelings and emotions I have."

"I don't know for sure what I'm feeling, but I know that I want to see you again and again. Although we've only known each other a day, I feel that there is something between us that tells me we complete each other and can rely on the other to return our love. I don't know where this is going, either, but I sure want to find out," Craig told him. "This may or may not work, but I'm willing to give our friendship everything I've got and hope you feel comfortable enough with me to do the same."

They pulled together and locked themselves in an embrace they were not willing to separate. They held each other tightly for what seemed to be a long time. Finally they pulled apart, looked into each other's eyes, then sought the other's lips.

Separating, Craig whispered, "Help me turn out the lights and let's go to the bedroom."

Dale turned out two table lamps while Craig turned the light off in the dining area, then reached around the corner to darken the kitchen. They joined hands, going to Craig's bedroom.

They both needed to use the bathroom. Craig had put the sack containing Dale's toiletry articles on the counter, so this was the first time Dale had seen the room. He was stunned. Craig had a shower stall that was as big as his whole bathroom and it had four showerheads! He was impressed because he had never seen anything like it.

"Wow!! That has got to be some shower experience," Dale said.

"Do you want to try it out tonight, or wait until morning?"

"I'd rather try you out, tonight," Dale replied with a leer. "I took a shower before coming over here, remember?"

"No objection to that."

They both used the toilet, one brushing his teeth while the other peed, and then switched.

Craig finished first and went back to the bedroom. He was folding the quilt down when Dale came out and started to take his clothes off.

"Dale, wait. I want to take your clothes off. It's like opening a present and I haven't had mine yet today. Please..." Craig whined in a little boy voice, giggling.

Dale flashed his wonderful smile at Craig and walked toward him. Craig moved to Dale and they wrapped their arms and bodies around each other. Somehow they fell on the bed and rolled around, trying to find the most comfortable position.

As they did so, shirts were pulled up so they could feel each other's abs and chests, rubbing and pinching nipples, mouths searching for an entrance to the other.

They whispered their groans of pleasure to the other, trying to crawl inside, swabbing the other's tonsils, bringing pleasure to each other.

Craig searched for Dale's belt buckle as Dale was trying to slip his own shoes off, using his toes. Dale's hands found his way to Craig's beltline, but no belt. `One less item to remove,' thought both. He slid the fastener loose and unzipped Craig's pants. They never broke their kiss. Finally, in order to get their shirts off, they had to move away; it was a chance to refill their lungs with air.

Somehow, neither knew how it happened; they had managed to shed their clothes and finally, were both nude. `What a great feeling,' they both thought as they pressed their bodies to each other in full contact from head to toe.

As they rolled across the bed and back, one on top, then the other, they broke their kisses to give other parts of the other's body attention.

Dale was the aggressive one tonight and was really giving Craig's ear, then throat, then the other ear his attention. Craig was almost beside himself at the feeling from the kisses and nips Dale was giving him.

Craig was returning as much as he could, his lips reaching the spots he could make contact with. Meanwhile, his hands and fingers were roaming Dale's body as they ground their crotches against the other. Both were starting to leak precum which mixed with the other's, causing them to slide freely together, giving the ultimate sensations to the other.

Each was experiencing electric shocks, which traveled throughout their bodies, almost to the point of shorting out. The more sensations they caused each other, the more they wanted.

Finally Dale worked his way down Craig's chest, bathing his nipples with saliva, pinching them and worked his tongue down to his navel. When he stuck his tongue in, Craig bucked his torso, trying to get away from the exquisite feel, yet not wanting to. Just a reflex he couldn't control.

Without any further playing around, he dropped his mouth over Craig's cock, ran his tongue around to spread his lubricant, and then took it into his throat. Again, Craig almost lost it, but was able to hold off his orgasm. He had never had feelings like this before.

While Craig's cock was embedded in Dale's throat, he managed to wet his finger and tease Craig's pucker. Craig bucked his hips again, but Dale stayed with him. Dale's finger broke through his sphincter muscle and he wiggled it inside. Then he pulled it out, wetting two fingers and repeated the assault. Craig entered nirvana. He had not experienced anything like this before.

Dale continued his attention to Craig's cock, then pulled off suddenly and attacked his pucker with his mouth. It felt so smooth and his tongue easily entered the hole, opening it up more. He packed as much saliva in there as he could using three fingers this time.

Craig was groaning so loud that Dale hoped the walls were soundproof, or that the neighbor's bedroom was not next to Craig's.

Although he had never done this before, instinct told him that Craig was ready for Dale to fuck him. He gathered precum from Craig's cock and coated the outside of his rectum, then spread his own copious precum around the head of his cock, retracting his foreskin and adding more saliva. He wondered if he was slick enough, but decided to try it anyway. If it didn't work, surely Craig had lube.

As he pushed his cockhead against Craig's opening, it started to slide in with no problem. Dale didn't know if this was Craig's first time, but held back until he felt Craig starting to push against his dick. As they pushed against each other, Dale thought that it felt like "hot buttered velvet".

Craig wrapped his legs around Dale's waist and searched for his mouth. This was so wonderful. He couldn't imagine that it could feel so good to have Dale's cock up his asshole. He didn't want it to end, but he felt the first signs of a tingle in the bottom of his cock. It reached to the center of his body.

Dale wasn't sure what was happening. Sure, he'd read about this in a couple of stories in porn books he had, but words couldn't describe the feeling.

He tried to hold back, but the sensations were just too hot. His instinct told him to speed up his strokes, but he knew he shouldn't. It was a war that couldn't be won -- by either person. Each felt the sensations their coupling caused the other and while they never wanted it to end, there was an urgency to achieve a climax. Craig was leaking precum on Dale's belly and his cock was slipping between their bodies. About that time they realized that it was going to end. They were almost sucking the breath out of each other, panting and rushing toward the release they each needed. Craig was just a little ahead of Dale and as his cock fired the first of several volleys, his sphincter gripped Dale's dick, triggering an orgasm that he felt in every nerve in his body. He slammed into Craig repeatedly, depositing his sperm as deep as he could push it. Their mouths were going into overdrive, each searching for something to kiss; lips, shoulders, noses, ears... whatever was within easy access.

Finally, the urgency was over. They gripped each other as if their lives depended on it, slowly calming and regaining their breath, senses and a normal heart rate.

Dale didn't want this to end, but he was totally spent. Craig didn't know what he felt. His body was tingling from his asshole to his toes to the top of his head. There couldn't be anything better than what they had just experienced with each other.

As they relaxed, Dale's cock involuntarily slipped from Craig's ass. They, again, searched for the other's mouth, Craig lowered his legs and they slid against the other's body made slick by Craig's cum. Without realizing it, they went to sleep, wrapped in the other's arms.

Sometime after they'd gone to sleep, they had moved to their sides, but still were wrapped in the other's arms and legs. It was a wonderful, soothing way to sleep.

Dale opened his eyes. His cock was hard, as was Craig's. He had to pee and wondered what time it was. The drapes were open, although heavy sheer curtains prevented the bright sum to really penetrate the room. Dale knew that he needed to move, to go to the bathroom. He raised his head and finally spotted the clock on the dresser. 5:55.

`Well, my clock still works,' he sleepily thought.

Craig must have been aware that Dale had moved and that it wasn't just to reposition himself while asleep. He raised his head, too, and looked into Dale's eyes. Even with sleep still fighting to reclaim him, Dale's eyes were beautiful.

"Hi, stud. Is it morning?" Craig asked.

"`Fraid so, another day.

Craig tried to stretch. They were glued together by dried cum that flaked off on the sheets as they separated themselves. "Is it time for us to get up?" he asked.

Dale replied, "At least for me. You can sleep if you need to."

Craig was instantly awake. "No. I need to take care of my Babe and get him ready for another day of hard labor." He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

"I'll go start coffee and get us some orange juice. You start shaving and I'll come shower with you," he leered, sleep still in his eyes. "I want to demonstrate that wonderful contraption and you are the first I've ever had a chance to share it with."

"I feel honored and can hardly wait for my personal (he stressed the word) shower assistant."

Craig headed off to the kitchen and Dale slowly got out of bed. He was sore from the heavy work of the previous day, but something told him that the shower was going to take all the soreness away. He hoped so, anyway. Even if it didn't it was a chance to shower with his buddy, Craig.

He thought, `Wait a minute. Craig isn't just a buddy. Buddies didn't do what they had done the last two nights. There was something else that he felt for Craig and he hoped that feeling was returned.'

Craig was a little sore, as he discovered when he started walking. But it was a "good sore", whatever that meant. He had never felt anything like what they had done the night before and wanted it to happen again and again.

As he started to make coffee, he thought of Dale's comment from the night before and laughed to himself. "At least I don't have to ride a horse today, either. But... that stud can ride me again... anytime."

The coffee pot was ready to go so he pushed the switch to start the brewing process. He pulled two large glasses out of the cupboard and filled them with orange juice and headed to the bathroom. Dale was just finishing his shave. Craig gave Dale one of the glasses and raised his hand to the area between Dale's upper lip and nose. Yes, he could both feel and see the new mustache. As thick as Dale's beard was, it would not take long before he had a very respectable growth. Thinking about it made Craig's dick twitch. `How would that feel raking up and down his cock, or his pucker?' he wondered.

Dale had brushed his teeth, so Craig excused himself for a minute to pee and then brush his own teeth. Then he was ready for his orange juice.

Dale was standing there waiting for his shower, as he wasn't sure how to turn on the various nozzles in the enclosure. It was a glassed-in area with white tile, so anyone who was in the bathroom could watch the person in the shower. No frosted glass here.

Finishing, Craig opened the door to the shower enclosure and allowed Dale to enter ahead of him. He quickly explained that there was a master temperature control on the showerhead in front of them and the other three showerheads just had an on/off control. The master had to be turned on before any of the others would spray.

The bathroom had it's own 65-gallon water heater with rapid recovery so one (or two) could take a long shower. Craig turned on two of the heads and Dale turned on the other two. All were aimed toward the same general area so they didn't have to take turns getting wet, soaping and rinsing. Although they weren't turned on, all of the heads were equipped with a pulsating flow for a massage.

Even with their own soap and washcloths, they still found reason to help the other get cleaned and rinsed. This was like taking a shower after gym, but more fun since they could look at each other without fear of being caught spying.

They didn't fool around in the shower very much as Craig and Dale both knew there wasn't time. Craig remembered the Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom and apologized to Dale for their not having used it the night before.

"I didn't need that. You made me feel better than anything of that sort. But, I do want to try it sometime."

The water was shut off and Craig reached out for two large extra fluffy bath towels. After they dried themselves they stepped out on the bathmat. Craig picked up the empty glasses, saying, "I'll get us some coffee."

It didn't take Dale long to finish in the bathroom and he was almost ready to get dressed when Craig came back with the coffee.

"I'm going to shave quickly while you start getting dressed. There are some sweet rolls in the kitchen we can have with our next cup of coffee." Dale went into the bedroom and Craig quickly soaped up his face, applied lather and deftly scraped his face quickly. He washed the remaining soap off his face, dried it and applied deodorant to his underarms and cologne to his face. He ducked into the bedroom and put on a pair of boxers.

Dale had just finishing dressing and was picking up the clothes they had shed the night before. He needed a clothes hanger but wasn't sure if he should just look in the closet or ask for one. He carefully folded the clothes and left them on the chair by the dresser. He sat down on the end of the bed to pull on his boots. Each looked at the other, not sure what to say. `Should he take his clothes and toiletries with him or leave them here?' He hoped he would be invited back, but Craig didn't say anything immediately.

Craig walked over, took Dale's hands and pulled him up to face him. They exchanged a brief, passionate kiss.

"Are you ready for a bite to eat? I have things here for your lunch and I can fix sandwiches, or you can."

"You've already gone to a lot of trouble. I'll be glad to make them while you get the rolls out and pour more coffee for us. Just show me where things are."

Dale really hadn't paid any attention to the kitchen the previous night. In the light of the day, he realized that all of the appliances were `top of the line' professional equipment usually found in a commercial kitchen. He was impressed.

Craig got out the two packages of lunchmeat, cheese, bread, mayo, mustard, cheese, apples and cookies, along with a paper sack to use for a tote. Dale set out to fix his lunch while Craig busied himself with putting the sweet rolls on plates and warming them in the microwave. He poured a third mug of coffee for each.

All the while, both were thinking about the other's plans for this evening and if they might include the other.

Craig broke the ice. "What are your plans for this evening?"

"Nothing special. We should be finished with the hay by noon, then move the four wagons to the barn in Section 22 and get ready to stack it for storage. But it needs to dry for a few days before we do that. I need to start two of the guys plowing in another section and then determine if we are going to be cutting and baling hay in a couple of other sections next week. Hopefully, I'll be off and ready to go home about 5:30.

"Do you have anything that you just have to do at home?" Craig asked.

"No. He hesitated. Do you?"

Craig replied, "No. I was hoping that you could come over after work and spend the night again. We'll be able to have a long evening and there are things we need to talk about."

Craig thought there was going to be a long silence. Dale finally asked, somewhat hesitating, "Okay? What is it?" He was fearing the worst, that Craig maybe didn't want to see him again -- or as often.

"I wasn't going to say anything about this until evening, but I guess it wouldn't hurt you to be thinking about it during the day today. Don will be making an offer on your house in the next few days. If you accept the offer, you are going to have come up with a possession date. You'll have to think about vacating the property, where you are going to live, what you are going to do with furniture and the other things you have."

"Yeah, I've done a little thinking. The residence that Marty is going to build for the permanent crew is coming at a good time, but probably won't be ready for two months. And, there won't be any room for the little bit of furniture I might want to keep. Plus, there is a lot of junk to go through; most of it can be thrown away, or given to a group that helps other people."

"I know this may be way too premature, but I want to talk about us tonight. I know we've only known each other a couple of days, but if you are interested this might be a good time to see if we can make a start of a life together for us. I hope it will work, but there's always a chance that it might not. I think we are really good for each other -- and not just the sex -- that's tremendous, to say the least. But if you would have me, I'd sure like you to be my partner... no, wrong choice of words... that too, but to be my lover and the person that completes my life."

With that Craig walked over to Dale, put his arms around him and said, "My MATE -- I hope for life." Then he kissed him.

Dale had tears running down his cheeks and when Craig saw them, he did, too. They clung to each other, neither wanting to let go.

Finally they pulled apart, neither knowing what to say or do. Dale finally spoke up. "I agree that we barely know each other, but I feel comfortable with you. I know I like you and respect you and I'm pretty sure that I feel love, too. I'll think about this today and, yes, we definitely need to talk about this -- a lot!" He smiled at Craig, tears still in his eyes.

Craig busied himself, checking to make sure the rolls were ready to eat and set the plates and a fork on the counter, and then got out a paper napkin for each of them.

"Com'on, MY GUY!! Here's our breakfast." He leaned over to kiss Dale on the cheek."

"Is that the best you can do? A peck on the cheek?" Dale teased.

"If I do anything more, we'll end up back in bed and neither of us will get anything done today. What time can you have your ass over here this evening?" Craig laughed.

"Oh, it's not just me -- it's my ass that you want. Well, MISTER, you are going to have to make me a better offer than that if you ever want to see my ass again." They both fell against each other in laughter.

Still laughing, they sat down at the counter to eat the rolls and drink their coffee.

Dale told Craig, "I think I should be able to be over here about 6:30. Why don't you allow me to take you out to eat somewhere? You paid for the pizza and last night's wonderful meal. It's more than my turn."

"Ok, but someplace that is casual."

Dale realized that he needed to be on his way and while Craig rinsed the dishes and added them to the dishwasher, he put his lunch in the sack.

They clung to each other at the door, giving each other a kiss to last the day and then Dale left.

The apartment seemed so empty after the elevator doors closed.

Dale and Craig both thought about what they might be facing and the offer Craig had made regarding their being together.

Craig was all for it. Certainly he had enough space for both of them -- he thought. He hoped that Dale would live with him. Later, maybe if they each contributed to it, they could have a house of their own instead of it being "Craig's apartment" they lived in. Yes, that would be for the best; something Dale felt he was part of, not just living with Craig.

Dale knew that he was going to have to look for other living quarters, but hadn't expected his house to sell so quickly. True, the living quarters were going to be built at the ranch, but it really wasn't much more than just a room to share with several other men. Not that it was a bad idea, but hardly any privacy. Of course, living with Craig would mean not a lot of privacy from each other, but that was different. They were intimate with each other. That was a lot different than just sharing rooms with other men.

There wouldn't be any room for him to keep anything from his house. However, there wasn't much to keep except some personal items. The furniture wasn't very good and he certainly wouldn't expect to put any of it in Craig's nice apartment. So many decisions. So quickly they had to be made.

(to be continued)

• • • • • Author's Note: This is my first attempt at gay fiction, and the only way I can learn whether or not I should continue is from my readers' feedback. I would appreciate your comments, criticism, suggestions, and anything else that you would care to say. All Email will be answered. If you wish to receive e-mail notification of subsequent posting, please let me know by sending your request to the e-mail address below. Contact me at: tulsadriller7@aol.com

Thanks for the overwhelming response to previous chapters. I received positive replies from all over the world. My special thanks to RW, whom I've known for many years and value his suggestions. Also for the proofreading help of Paul Daventon, author of "Turning the Page" found in the "Adult-Friends" section of Nifty. Please read it.