Unexpected Guest, Chapter 2
Shelby sat close to Dalton on the sofa conversing for over an hour as they had their impromptu party, but he didn't invite the boy to sleep with him. It wasn't that he didn't trust Dalton; it was that he didn't trust himself.
As he lay awake, after tucking Dalton into bed and kissing him on the forehead, he spent a long time mulling over what had occurred within the past few hours. He also thought about the feelings he'd developed for "Sam" who was, in reality, Dalton. While Dalton and he had been sitting together, he'd brought up a few details about "Sam" from their email correspondence to make sure Dalton was who he claimed to be. Everything had checked out.
Having heard stories in the news about the consequences for teachers who messed around with students, he wanted to make sure there would be no fallout from taking Dalton in. He didn't want to jeopardize his job or his teaching license for doing a good deed.
Shelby wasn't really surprised to find that Dalton was already awake when he tapped on the door to the guest room on Saturday morning. The young man had dressed for the gym and had evidently brushed his teeth and styled his hair.
"Since you told me you don't eat before working out either, I'll go get ready so we can be at the club just before it opens at 7:00. We'll need to fill out paperwork so you can get a free trial membership. If you decide you want to join, I can add you on with me as a friend for a slight fee since we're living under the same roof."
"That's really cool. I could use the weight room some days after school instead, but it's usually filled with jocks who think they're God's gift to the world. They have priority to machines and stuff if they're currently in a sport, or if they're one of the coaches' pets."
"Are they all like that?"
"Nah, there are some really nice guys too, but I always feel like an outsider."
"It won't be like that at The MAC. We have everyone from grandmas to middle school kids. Some are young enough to need an adult with them, but everyone's friendly, at least it seems that way when I'm there."
The first person Shelby saw up in the cardio balcony was the very guy he wanted to talk with. If anyone could give him a quick, factual answer, it was Wally.
Dalton felt like he was being exiled when Shelby asked him to use equipment across the room, but Shelby assured him that they would work together on weights after they'd warmed up with aerobic exercises for 10 or 15 minutes.
"I need to discuss something privately with that guy over there before the place fills up."
"Is it so private that I can't listen?"
"Yes and no. I'll share the gist of it with you later."
"Is it about me?"
"Does everything have to be about you? Is your ego so big that it occupies the whole universe?"
"Sorry, I'm kinda insecure at the moment."
"I'm the one who should be sorry - for how I responded, but I'm nervous." Shelby sighed. "It is about you; and I shouldn't have snapped at you. Wally's a lawyer and I need to ask his opinion on legal issues."
"Okay. I'll listen to some tunes and keep out of earshot," Dalton said, adjusting the ear buds attached to his iPod.
"Sure. If you give me a dollar, you'll have retained me as counsel and whatever you say will be privileged information," Wally said in regard to Shelby's first question.
"Thanks. I do intend to pay you for your services," Shelly responded as he dug four quarters from the change in his pocket. "I'm sure lots of people want free advice."
"If you pay me, then I'll have to pay you for all the times you've given me a hand on projects in my house. I'm sure I've gotten the better end of the deal for the past couple of years."
"But this is your profession. I don't make my living as a handyman."
"Perhaps not, but you could! Anyway, is your question about the cute boy you came in with?"
"Yup it is. You noticed him?"
"Who wouldn't?"
"I thought you were straight."
"Straight or gay, a guy can tell a good looking kid from an ugly one! Are you shagging him or what?"
"Wally!"
"Sorry, I couldn't resist teasing you. So what's the problem?"
"His parents threw him out for being gay and I'm letting him stay with me."
"Is he underage?"
"No, but he's a student in high school."
"The same one where you teach?"
"No, he's in the Marshall district and I teach at Bryn-Mar."
"If you don't have any control or influence over him as a teacher, coach, administrator, or whatever, then you're not in a position to be exerting pressure on him for, um, sexual favors, and it wouldn't be anyone's business that he's living under your roof. So, if you're afraid that you could lose your teaching license over perceived or actual sexual contact, you can stop worrying. I know this for a fact because I was involved in a case that parallels this situation closely. A school board tried to fire a male teacher for having a live-in girlfriend who was of age and enrolled in a nearby school but not in the same district. They ended up having to give him his job back, reimburse him for his lost wages, and compensate him for dragging his name in the mud."
"Cool! I owe you, man."
"I'll take the rest of my fee out in labor when you come to help me install that new kitchen faucet tomorrow afternoon."
"I was already going to do that, as you well know."
"Yeah, isn't that fortunate? Are you bringing along your cute guest?"
"I'll give him the option."
"Next week is spring break, and I'm going to Florida," Shelby announced on the way home from the gym. "I have a motel room reserved not far from the beach."
"Um, that's nice," Dalton said glumly. "I'll try to find someone from school who'll let me couch-surf for the week. I'm not really close to anyone."
"Do you have to work?"
"Nope, most of the regular bagboys are gonna be there all week so there's no call for us subs."
"So, you'll be free to go with me?"
"If you want me," Dalton brightened.
"Of course I want you. Do you have shorts and beach-wear?" Shelby asked.
"Yeah, but my swimsuit's pretty ratty."
"No problem. You may not need it, at least part of the time."
"Why, is there a nude beach like in some of your stories?"
"Bingo! Haulover Beach is close to the motel I booked for most of the break."
"Cool!"
"Are you up to driving straight through?"
"Of course; I'm a young stud - five years younger than you."
"Are you gonna drag me to church?" Dalton asked on Sunday morning as Shelby was dressing up.
"Nope, you're welcome to stay home."
"Are you ashamed to be seen with me?"
"Of course not! What is this, a game of twenty questions rigged so that I can't win?"
"In most of your stories, the families all go to a church and it's a liberal place where everyone accepts gays and everyone lives happily ever after. I figured you were probably active in that kind of church."
"I am. Where do you think I get some of the material for my tales?"
"Okay, that makes sense. I'll put on khakis and a decent shirt if that will do."
"Of course it will do, but I'm not insisting that you attend with me. You're an adult and I'm not your parent."
"That man's a good speaker, not at all what I expected," Dalton mused on the way home. "He's nothing like the ones I've heard on TV. Um, I think I'm starting to sound like one of your fictional characters."
"No, he's not like the televangelists at all, and the reason you sound like one of my characters is because, like them, you are impressed with people who truly practice Christianity. Did you know that the Presbyterian Church USA recently added to our constitution that we will perform same-sex marriages?"
"I don't keep up on that stuff, but it's cool - like you are. And you were really ballsy during the coffee hour!" Dalton giggled.
"How so? What did I do?"
"You introduced me as your housemate. That's gonna put ideas in some people's heads even if we haven't messed around."
"People can think what they like."
"But, can't they cause trouble?"
"No, I told you what Wally said; since I have no supervision over you as a student and you're of legal age, there aren't any bad consequences even if I were fucking your brains out."
"I wish," Dalton mumbled.
"Be careful what you wish for..."
"Because it could come true?" Dalton grinned.
"Because you might not like the feeling of getting plowed." Shelby answered.
Dalton did accompany Shelby when he went to install Wally's kitchen faucet. He successfully made several naughty innuendos about the need for two people to handle Wally's "spigot." Shelby laughed, enjoying the sharp wit of his young companion. As a language arts teacher, he was well aware of the connection between creative humor and intelligence.
Wally was also amused and impressed with the young man as he watched Shelby and Dalton work together as a team. He found it hard to believe that they'd only recently met. They seemed to anticipate each other's next move.
The whole operation, from the removal of the old unit to the hooking up and testing of the new one, was done in a short time. Wally, who, by his own admission, was a klutz with things of a mechanical nature, marveled at how smoothly it had gone, and that it didn't leak when they were finished!
Wally was, however, good in the kitchen. He served freshly baked brownies and cocoa as a treat while they made light conversation.
Dalton was thankful that Wally didn't talk down to him, but treated him as a peer.
When Shelby went to the powder room before they headed back home, Wally took the opportunity to have a few private words with Dalton.
"You're a lucky guy, Dalton. Treat him well, he's a keeper."
"Um, what are you trying to say?"
"It's obvious to me that Shel is very fond of you. He's a good man and I hope you won't hurt him. Please!"
"I love him so much," Dalton said emotionally. "But he always seems to back away when I get too close."
"Give him time," Wally counseled. "He's really rather shy and innocent."
"Okay."
For Dalton the last week before break seemed like the longest one of the year, but by the end of it, he realized it had actually flown by quite quickly. He was very excited about going to Florida, but he didn't let that distract him from his studies. He liked school, and was bound to keep his grades up in hopes of going on to college now that he had a stable place to live.
His teachers noticed a renewed sense of happiness and determination and they hoped it would continue. All of them truly enjoyed having him in their classes and had been concerned about his demeanor in the first part of the month. He had seemed preoccupied and unsettled for a period of time. Perhaps that had been just a teenage mood swing.
The minute the dismissal bell rang on Friday, Dalton rode his bike home to Shelby's house and double checked his bags to make sure he had packed everything he needed. He put them by the kitchen door where he wouldn't forget anything when it was time to go.
"Someone's excited about the trip," Shelby teased as he came in the door, stepping around Dalton's things. "I stopped for gas on the way home and I'll be ready as soon as I throw our stuff in the back of the SUV. Please go down and turn the water heater on "vacation" setting while I pee."
"I'm on it!"
A few minutes later, they were headed down I-380 on the first leg of their journey.
"Are you as fond of Florida in the spring as I am?" Shelby asked.
"Don't know; never been there."
"Really; never?"
"Yup, I've never been much of anywhere. We went to Canada to visit la grand-mère when I was little, but I hardly remember it, other than the good food she made."
"Don't you have another set of grandparents?"
"I've never met them if I do. There was some falling out years ago and I'm not even sure if they're dead or alive."
"So, you obviously haven't traveled to see them. Where all have you been?"
"Basically nowhere."
"We're gonna have to work on that then."
On the other side of Peoria, Shelby asked Dalton to drive awhile so he could take a nap. With the GPS set to guide him with verbal prompts for route changes, there was little chance that he'd get lost.
Dalton grinned broadly as he maneuvered the vehicle along the Interstate highway. He didn't have a lot of road experience, but he stayed alert and had very quick reflexes. At one point, he had to brake quickly as a driver on her cell phone pulled into his lane without warning. The sudden movement, along with the blare of the horn, brought Shelby fully awake in a split second.
"Bitch!" Dalton exclaimed.
"That was good defensive driving on your part!" Shelby complimented him, as Dalton related the story of what had just occurred.
"I knew she'd pull that,: he continued. "She seemed to be weaving around a lot already."
"You anticipated it well, or you wouldn't have been able to react that quickly."
"If I'd have been more experienced, I wouldn't have gotten that close to her."
"You were fine. Do you want a break after that close call? There's a rest area coming up in a few miles and we could change."
"No, I'm okay, if you trust me to keep on going. I do need to pee, though."
After relieving their bladders, they continued on the road, and Shelby fell back to sleep, contentedly.
It was nearing 8:00 p.m. when Dalton pulled off toward a gas station which had a huge neon sign advertising regular at a good price. Shelby awakened as they came to a stop.
"Here's the credit card, I've gotta pee like a race horse!" he exclaimed.
A few minutes later, Dalton took his turn in the restroom while Shelby pulled the vehicle up to the curb.
"Want to eat in that Perkins?"
"That's fine with me, but I'll be sleepy when I get my tummy full," Dalton grinned.
"No problemo, I should be rested up for quite a while with all that sleep. Man, I'm glad not to be doing this alone."
"Me too."
Around midnight, Dalton came to as Shelby stopped for gas again. Dalton went in to use the bathroom and came back with a cup of coffee, which surprised Shelby.
"I thought you weren't into java," he joked.
"I need the caffeine if I'm gonna stay awake behind the wheel."
"Cool, I'm ready for another nap!"
It was in the wee hours in Kentucky when they changed places again.
Several stops and several meals later, the pair had nearly reached their destination, Bal Harbour, Fl.
Shelby stopped first at the motel to confirm his reservation. Since all was in order, the guys were given key cards to their room within a few minutes and took their bags in before going out to eat their final meal of the day.
"Wow, this is nice!" Dalton exclaimed. "There's only one bed; um do you want me to sleep on the couch?"
"Only if you're uncomfortable about sharing the king sized bed. There's plenty of room so we wouldn't have to touch at all."
"I'm okay with sharing," Dalton said, trying to hide his excitement.
Being weary from sitting in a vehicle for the past 27 hours, they opted to walk to the Denny's situated nearby. It was not going to be gourmet fare, but it would be filling and relatively inexpensive.
Back at the motel, Shelby invited Dalton to take his shower first. The young man came out a few minutes later wearing boxer shorts and looking refreshed.
Shelby went next to rid his body of many hours of sweat. When he came into the bedroom area, he wasn't wearing anything.
"Wow!" Dalton exclaimed. "You clean up well! Aren't you wearing anything to bed?"
"Um, sorry, but I usually sleep naked."
"Me too," Dalton grinned as he stood up and shucked his boxers.
"You clean up well too," Selby smiled in return.
Shelby turned off the light and slipped into the opposite side of the bed from Dalton. They lay there in silence for a few minutes, and then Shelby spoke.
"May I hold you in my arms?" He asked.
"You bet!" Dalton slide quickly to the center.
"I'm sorry about the wood; I'll do my best not to poke you with it."
"I don't mind," Dalton assured him.
"Oh, my Sammy, I've wanted to hold you forever. Oops, I meant to say Dalton.
"That's okay. You know me better as Sam. I want to be whatever you want me to be. I'm ready to do whatever you want. I want to please you."
"Okay boy, I'm gonna tell you exactly how I want you to act and what I want you to be, so listen attentively!"
Dalton held his breath, wondering what was coming next. Had he misjudged the man? Was he going to become a sex slave? Part of him was frightened and the other part was excited at the prospect.
"Are you listening, then?"
"Yes!"
"Yes, what?"
"Yes, Sir!"
"Well here it is. I want you to be YOU, not a puppet, not an extension of me, not a slave controlled by me. I love you for being YOU! Don't ever change that!"
"Yes, Sir!"
"What?"
"Just yes?"
"Cool. I think we understand each other. I really do care for you, but I don't want to dominate you and I'm not going to have sex with you tonight. I simply want to feel you in my arms."
"That's cool," Dalton agreed. "I'm about ready to pass out anyway. I would have stayed awake and let you fuck my brains out, but since I have an option, I really do want to go to sleep."
Shelby kissed the back of his neck and gave him a little squeeze. Within a few minutes, they were both in dreamland.
Author's notes: Thanks to all of you for your enthusiastic responses to the new story.
When I hear from you, it makes the time and effort of posting worthwhile. The guys and gals I heard from include: Bob O, John D, Tony W, Chandra B, Douglas and Lawrence, Michael B, Johan D, Darell R, Wayne, Bill K, Trish R, Neal H, Dan H, Jacob C, Dick M, David G, Walt S, Mendy D, Martell D, Tom A, Jim W, Peter M, Vern, Jay E, Paul R, Zero, James F, and Jack H. I tried to respond to everyone; however, one kept being rejected.
Sorry, Woody, I still can't seem to get through to you despite using "reply."
David