I wish to retain all rights to this story. However, I am delighted to grant permission for any person or entity, to publish this story as long as there is no charge to the reader and as long as no changes are made to the story.

All relationships have defining moments, generally early in the relationship. Maybe because the beating had so disrupted my life; maybe because we were all about to begin a new life in college... the summer I turned eighteen saw defining moments in almost every one of my relationships.

We checked out of the hotel at the last possible minute and returned to the beach before heading back. Sitting side by side in the sand, we watched the parade of swimsuits; all shapes and sizes of swimsuits.

The sun was bright. The water was blue, even close in to shore. The surf was calm for South Padre, and the breeze felt cool off the water. Shadows of small clouds dotted the Gulf water like sheep scattered over a glistening pasture, and gulls called to each other as sandpipers danced at the water's edge.

Dan had purchased shades for each of us; according to him, so we could watch guys on the beach without people knowing where we were looking. I just wanted to watch Daniel. With his long blond hair, his sexy smile, and those shades, he looked like some kind of movie star.

A group of teenage girls walked past, sneaking looks at us and giggling. "I need to bring Colin down here," I said. "Maybe next weekend; summer's almost over and he'll be starting football pretty soon."

Some people might be jealous of Daniel, of how much money his family had; of how they spoiled Daniel. Personally, I was grateful for it and didn't mind at all when he paid for us to rent a hotel room – I knew Roger was really the one paying. But I wouldn't let him pay for me taking Colin to the beach.

"I've got enough," I said, "for us to camp out or maybe even stay at the fishing lodge Stef and I used to use. I want to do it myself, Dan. I want to thank him."

We had the windows down in the jeep and the wind grew hotter the farther inland we drove. I'd been looking out the window when I realized that Daniel was watching me through his shades. He smiled and took my hand, holding it between the driver and passenger seat.

I always liked Daniel's hands; they were strong. Interlacing his fingers with mine, he turned his gaze back to the road.

With his eyes hidden by his sunglasses and his hair blowing about his head, the smooth planes of his cheeks and the fine edge of his jaw were striking. And I deeply regretted letting my mom railroad me into going to college at Trinity.

He shrugged. "I don't want to ever go back," he said, throwing me a smile, and squeezing my hand. "But I thought about heading back tomorrow. It's not like we'll be spending our nights together; not with me on the couch and you in your room."

"Maybe we could go out to the ranch," I suggested. "I'm sure Aaron and Jorge would let us stay with them."

"Yeah, right. Like I'm going to share you with those guys." He squeezed my hand again. "Why don't you come up to Houston? We can stay in the bedroom the whole time."

I shook my head. "Too much to do yet," I said, watching out the window as we passed a sugar cane field. "We still have to buy my car for school, and Dad's going to take me shopping for some clothes. Besides, my knee's still not up to driving."

Daniel was quiet, and I turned to find him watching me again. I queried him with a look.

He smiled and lifted my hand to his lips. "I was just thinking," he said, "how incredible you are... and how much I love you."

I gave his hand a squeeze. "We've been in love a long time," I said and leaned back in my seat.

We woke early the next morning after a good night's sleep; me in my room and Daniel on the couch. It was a good night's sleep, but I didn't want another like it; I wanted to sleep with Daniel.

So over breakfast I talked Daniel into letting us go out to see Aaron and Jorge at the ranch. I thought that if we took sleeping bags, the guys would let us stay out there for a night or two.

I wanted Daniel to see how handsome Aaron had become and how great he and Jorge looked together. I want him to see how they had fixed up the ranch, and I wanted them to see that things had worked out for Daniel and me. I wanted to tell them about Daniel's and my promises to each other.

Mom didn't waste much time getting her and my little sister out of the house, once Daniel and I were in the kitchen. The problem was, Mom couldn't simply disapprove of us without letting us know that she disapproved of us; which she did in a dozen small ways. I decided it would be just as well that we get out to the ranch.

She stopped on her way out the door. "Ryan called," she said. "He wants you to call him."

Daniel shrugged. "I'd offer to get him on the phone for you, but they wouldn't be any happier if I called," he said. "Just phone him."

So I did. A woman whose voice I didn't recognize answered, and then Ryan was on the phone.

"I've been trying to call you," he said. "My parents are out of town this week."

"My grandma. She's staying with us." He lowered his voice. "She goes to bed early every night and she sleeps really hard. Can you come over? I can sneak you in after she's in bed."

"I can't, Ry," I said. "Daniel's down. We just got back from the beach and we're going to visit some friends at a ranch this afternoon."

"I know Daniel's down," he answered. "Colin told me. I want Daniel to come too. I want it to be the three of us, just like when I go to UT and move in with you guys."

I was surprised when my cock stiffened at Ry's voice. After the weekend I'd had with Daniel and the way we now felt about each other, I hadn't expected to get turned on by any other guy for a long time. And now, only the day after Daniel and I claimed each other for life, Ry was about to give me a hard-on.

I did love Ryan and he sounded lonely; he wanted to see me, and I missed him. But I didn't want to do anything that would mess up Daniel and me. "Look, Ry. I don't know when we'll get back from the ranch. Not tonight, OK?"

Ryan moaned and I felt sorry for him. I wondered how Dan would feel about me stopping by to see Ry after Daniel left for Houston. "How long will your parents be gone?" I asked Ryan.

"Hold on," I said, and covered the phone. Then I told Daniel what Ryan said. "I don't have to see him, Daniel. If I do, he's going to want to get it on."

Daniel thought a moment. "This is going to sound crazy," he said, putting his arm around my waist, "but after the weekend we just had, and then having to spend last night apart, I want more of you. I don't want to go home yet if you can't come to Houston, and we can't do anything here at your house, with me stuck on the couch. If we can spend the night at the ranch, that's fine, but if we can't, I'm going to be pretty damned horny for you."

He pressed himself to my hip. "This is the crazy part... I wouldn't mind rescuing Ryan. You've always had a thing for Ry and I've always liked him. We had fun together the time the three of us messed around and took pictures." He smiled. "We can do a rescue, and while we're at it, have more time with each other."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "You know he's already planning on going to UT and moving in with us. He keeps talking about it. This would only encourage him."

Daniel rubbed my belly. "Ask him if it's Mamma R who's staying with them," he grinned. "She's my grandma, too. And she goes to bed every night when the news is over, at exactly ten-thirty. Then she sleeps like a log till six in the morning. Nothing wakes her." He chuckled. "My granddad was a real snorer."

"How about tomorrow night?" I asked into the phone. "When do your brothers go to bed?"

"Want to meet us at the back door to the den?" I asked. "About midnight tomorrow night?"

"Fine time to remember," I complained, chewing my lip. "Man, I don't want to stand Ry up. Not after telling him we'd be there. He really wants to see us. And hell, it's going to be three years before he's eighteen. Do you really think he'll go that long without jumping our bones, anyway?"

Daniel shook his head. "He won't go that long without jumping your bones; that's for sure." He smoothed back my hair. "Besides, you'll want to see him again before he goes off to boarding school and you leave for Trinity. It's going to be a long time before you see each other again."

Daniel playfully punched my belly. "I know you don't want to admit it because you think I'd be jealous. But I know how you feel about Ry. You two have been special friends almost as long as you and me."

I started to open my mouth, but Daniel put his hand over it and cocked his eyebrow. "I told you once," he said. "I could never be jealous of Ryan."

My brow furrowed and he removed his hand. "Why?" I asked, truly curious, wrapping my arm around his waist as well. "Why wouldn't you be jealous?"

With a gentle smile, he nuzzled into my neck. "Because I'm your lover and I know it. We're locked in for life, you and me. Ry is different from someone like Aaron. He's your little buddy. Besides," he said, kissing behind my ear, "I know you - you fought before you would let Jimmy chase you off from me; you'd fight to hang on to Ryan as well, and I don't want to fight you."

"You're crazy," I said, as Daniel rubbed his hand over the crotch of my pants. "I've already lost any fight for Ryan," I said, "his dad's done a pretty good job of chasing me off."

"Sounds to me like he hasn't," Daniel replied, feeling the shape of my cock through my pants. "My dad says things have been really tense between Ryan and Uncle James. Maybe Ryan is doing some fighting himself - to hang on to you." He reached into my pants and pulled my thickening cock up, adjusting it for me.

Then he kissed my cheek. "You forget," he said, patting my crotch and stepping back from me. "Ryan's my cousin. We liked each other, long before we both fell in love with you."

"I stopped because, your dad doesn't want us messing around inside your house, and I'm cool with that. Especially if we're going to get it on night, or tomorrow night at the latest."

"Oh man... that's like forever," I said, amused that I sounded like Ryan. I tried to shift to a seductive voice. "It's going to get lonely if you have to sleep on the couch again tonight," I pointed out, reaching for him.

But he stiff-armed me. "That's OK. If we don't get to do anything tonight; tomorrow night we have a rescue."

"Be nice to Jorge," I reminded Daniel as we drove toward the cabin. "Remember, I told you that he confessed to me once that he always had a bit of a crush on you. And be nice to Aaron, too. They've put a lot of hard work into this place so even if you aren't impressed, act impressed."

Aaron and Jorge had made progress, even since I'd last been out. Not only did the cabin look finished from the outside, but they had also laid out bricks over sand as a small patio under the big mesquite tree. As we pulled up, the two of them came out of the cabin in just shorts and shoes, and I wondered if they had gone in to put the shorts on.

I was happy as hell to see them and they looked glad to see me, until they saw Daniel get out of the driver's seat. Aaron's smile became a scowl.

Daniel came around to my side of the car, just as Aaron and Jorge got there. I expected hugs. Instead, Aaron backed Daniel to the side of the car with a hand firmly planted in the middle of his chest.

"Sean," Aaron said, glaring into Daniel's eyes. "I can't believe you brought this turd here unless it's for us to beat the crap out of him."

Keeping Daniel pinned with his back to the jeep, Aaron turned his frown on me. "You've gotten back together with him, haven't you?"

"It's still stupid after the way he treated you," Aaron said, glaring down into Daniel's face.

Pushing off the jeep, Daniel gave Aaron a shove. "That's all between Sean and me," he said. You can keep your nose out of it."

"Hey," Aaron said, with a quick shove back. "He's our friend, too, and unlike some shitheads..." he gave Daniel another shove, "we take care of our friends."

Daniel slapped Aaron's arm away as he was about to shove again. "But he's my lover," Daniel said between clenched teeth, his scowling face inches from Aaron's.

I tried to step between them, but neither would step back an inch. "Guys, I can take care of myself," I said.

Jorge stepped up behind Aaron and rubbed his shoulders. "Come on, Aaron," he said. "Him and Sean are cool now. And we're all friends. Don't mess things up."

"Damn it, Aaron," I said, and I gave him a shove. "You guys are like my best friends and I brought Daniel out here because I thought you'd be happy for me... for us being back together. And I wanted to show you guys off to Daniel... you and this place you're making."

Aaron's look softened slightly, but only slightly. "What's to show off?" Aaron asked. "It's not like he hasn't met us before."

"But it's been a long time, Aaron," I pointed out. "Stupid me! I wanted him to see what a hunk you are and how fine Jorge looks. And I thought that I wanted him to see... well... damn it, Aaron... I wanted him to see that you weren't just a horndog any more. I wanted him to see how... well... manly you'd become."

Aaron finally turned from Daniel and his angry glare softened to a frown. "Well fuck it, Sean. I still don't like how he treated you."

"I don't either," Daniel said quietly, and all our heads snapped back to him. "And just for the record, Aaron, I agree with you. I don't deserve him. But he loves me and I love him, and it's not some stupid school kid crush for either one of us. We've loved each other a long time and you know it."

Aaron glanced at the ground. "Don't go," he said. "I'm sorry I got mad." Then he looked up at me. "Damn it, Sean. It's just... well I never expected to see him again. And I figured if I ever did, I punch him right in his pretty boy face."

Aaron frowned at him again. "Hey, we saw what Sean went through last spring when you weren't answering his calls, and we saw what he looked like after your boyfriend got done with him."

"But I'm OK now, guys," I said, and every one of them, including Daniel looked at my knee.

Jorge stepped forward and put his hand on Aaron's back. "He blew it, Aaron. But he's sorry now. And Sean's forgiven him. Let it go."

"Come on, guys" Jorge said, waving us forward. "Let us show you the work we've done."

I let Daniel be the first to follow Jorge, figuring I'd stay between him and Aaron. Jorge pointed out the work they'd done with the pavers, and then around the outside of the cabin. The rest of us walked in silence, Aaron following me, until we reached the steps of the cabin.

"Sure," I said, expecting a shoulder to lean on. Instead, Aaron swept me up in his arms and stepping sideway through the door, carried me inside.

He felt strong and he held me, not like he was carrying a load, but like he was carrying a friend. Daniel and Jorge watched as Aaron carefully set me down.

Aaron cleared his throat and straightened his back. "I'm sorry," he said. "I didn't mean to spoil things. Hell, Sullivan, I'm really glad to see you." He took me into his arms and hugged me hard.

When he finally let me go, Jorge stepped up. "How about me? Can I get a hug too?"

Aaron eyed the offered hand, then nodded and took it. "Yeah. I know you guys are stuck on each other," Aaron said while shaking Daniel's hand. "But I swear, you ever fuck up again, and you'll have me to worry about."

"Deal," Daniel said, their hands still clasped. "And when I've proven to you that I'm going to take good care of him, maybe we can be friends again."

Then Jorge gave Daniel a hug. "I always wanted to do that," he said with a grin.

They gave us a tour. The cabin was almost finished inside. The bed looked the same as before, though; jumbled. "You guys still sleeping outside?" I asked.

"Of course," Aaron said. Then after a moment... "You guys want to stay tonight?"

I raised both of mine back and shrugged. If Aaron was cool with it and if Daniel was cool with it, we were good to stay.

As we neared the cattle tank, Daniel stopped to adjust his sandal. Aaron walked by, but I paused beside Daniel. When he stood back up, he handed me his wallet and I wondered why, but he hurriedly caught up with Aaron and as they walked past the cattle tank, Daniel rushed forward and upended Aaron into the water.

Aaron came up sputtering, his magnificent torso, glistening in the afternoon sun.

Since Daniel had handed me his wallet, I knew the scenario and made a show of holding him to keep him from getting away as Aaron climbed from the tank. "He needs to cool off, too," I told Aaron, who accepted the invitation. He called Jorge over and the two of them lifted Daniel, who struggled appropriately. They tossed him into the water, clothes and all.

"Like hell we can't!" Aaron roared, grabbing me up in his arms, just like he did to carry me into the cabin.

"Wait!" I said again. "My wallet." Quickly, I tossed both Daniel's and my wallets out onto the ground, and then Aaron tossed me into the tank. Daniel helped me get my footing on the algae-covered bottom.

The afternoon was hot and the water felt good. When Jorge and Aaron pulled off their shorts and shoes to climb in, Daniel looked them over, admiringly. "You guys are ripped," he observed.

Then we stripped; Daniel and I. We took off our sandals and removed our shirts. Aaron and Jorge clapped and whistled. When we stripped off our pants, though, they grew quiet.

So we told them what they meant. As we talked, Daniel crouched down beside me in the water and I put an arm over his shoulder, pulling myself, floating, across his lap. Jorge sat next to Aaron on the edge of the tank and I noticed him glance several times at Aaron as Daniel and I talked about promising to stick together.

"So," Aaron asked. "Does that mean you guys aren't going to do anything with other guys?"

"Well, we never said that," I answered for us. "But we'll concentrate on each other, especially after this last weekend."

So Daniel and I took turns telling them about the weekend, including the Little Seanny, Little Danny, story. Aaron grew hard and slid into the water. Jorge slid in beside him.

"Oh," Aaron replied, "it's just that we'd gone three days without doing anything and last night decided that we were losing our edge, so we screwed all night. And Jorge had just plugged me good before you guys pulled up."

Jorge grinned and goosed Aaron's butt under water; Aaron jumped. "I found out," Jorge said, "how to make it feel good for him and now he wants it all the time."

Aaron splashed him, and they got into a wrestling match. I clung to Daniel, floating in his lap, and enjoyed the company of another gay couple. And then I realized that I had thought of Aaron as gay. Well, he was, at least this summer, with Jorge. And it was fun to be with them.

We spent the afternoon naked, first in the tank, then under the big Mesquite tree, waiting for our clothes to dry. Aaron broke out the beer and they grilled hot dogs for supper.

By evening, all the earlier animosity had evaporated and we sat in the dark, talking about college.

The chairs under the mesquite tree weren't good for sharing, but Daniel flattened one of the soda can cartons and sat on it between my legs, then leaned back, using my legs as arm rests. I rubbed his shoulders and he laid his head back in my lap.

Aaron glanced at Jorge and patted an invitation for his lap. Jorge climbed in, sitting crosswise. And as we talked, Jorge ran his fingers into Aaron's hair while Aaron picked at Jorge's pubic hair.

I loved the sky out on the ranch. Far from town, the sky blazed with stars. The evening breeze was cool. We were mellow with beer. Cattle moved in the brush, but otherwise, it was quiet.

"You guys want to sleep in the back of the truck tonight? We can sleep inside." Aaron offered when it grew late.

They helped us set up our sleeping bags in the back of the truck, leaving enough bedding to soften the floor of the truck bed. And after we spread the sleeping bags, one over the other, it wasn't bad at all.

Aaron and Jorge went inside, and Daniel helped me up into the back of the truck. I lay back, relaxing, naked in the breeze, and laid my arm out to the side for Daniel to rest his head on as he lay down beside me. Settling in on his side, he rested his ear on my bicep.

He put his hand on the bowl formed by my belly between my hipbones, and he rubbed me, smiling. "It's nice out here. Too bad we didn't just come here this summer instead of trying to do another tour."

"That's not what I meant and you know it. It's nice out here. Sorta peaceful. And outdoors, which we like."

His hand moved lower to cup my balls. "Of course," he said. "They are hot looking. You said Jorge had a crush on me?"

I could feel his erection growing against my hip. "You want to do a rescue, don't you?" I asked.

"We don't have to," he said, rubbing my own thickening cock. "But it could be fun; we could sneak up on them while they're sleeping."

I was as horny as he was, but had looked forward to being with Daniel and after the confrontation that afternoon, I wasn't sure of the reception we'd receive. And yet, Aaron and Jorge were hot. And it had been a good afternoon and evening. We were all mellow with supper and beer.

He helped me up the steps. We tried to be quiet, but Aaron and Jorge weren't the master builders they thought they were. Boards squeaked. We moved very slowly, feeling our way along the wall in the faint moonlight that made it into the cabin.

We came to the bedroom doorway. The moon was on the other side of the cabin and only a small amount of reflected moonlight came through the bedroom windows; the bed was in a pool of darkness. It seemed quiet, and I saw no movement from the bed. We edged closer and I started a countdown with my fingers in front of Daniel's face. Five... four...

"AyyyEEE!" Two bodies flew at us from behind in the dark, taking Daniel and me down onto the bed. I rolled as we fell, trying to protect my knee, and landed on my back. Aaron landed on top of me, and he was already semi-hard.

I pushed him over, toward Jorge and Daniel, and we became a roiling mass of naked arms, legs, and cocks. I grabbed as many of each as I could. And several hands grabbed my butt... and other places.

I had done a good job of squatting down onto Jorge's face when Aaron and Daniel rolled into me and their two bodies pinned my torso. In a flash, Jorge squatted over my face, and I gave his perineum a playful chewing.

Daniel and Aaron rolled again, knocking Jorge backward and in the ensuing tangle, Daniel and I managed to get Aaron onto his back, each of us pinning an arm with our bodies. Jorge stood over us, surveying the situation, his rock-hard erection wagging in the faint light.

Aaron laughed and tried to free the arm I had pinned. Then he tried to free the one Daniel held down. Jorge smiled with a cocked eyebrow, watching Aaron twist, and dropped down, wrapping his arms around Aaron's legs. He grinned, broadly, then swallowed Aaron down in one big plunge.

Aaron continued to squirm, but slowed, and his laughter grew softer. He managed to reach my cock with the arm I had pinned and squeezed, but pleasantly; not too hard.

Still sucking, Jorge lifted Aaron's legs with a hand behind each knee. And as Aaron held tightly to our cocks and we held his arms pinned to the bed, Daniel and I watched Jorge bury his face in Aaron's crack, getting him ready. Then he knelt up, his erection jutting up over Aaron's.

Holding one of Aaron's legs up in each hand, he pulled back his hips moving up and down until he found the spot, and then pushed in. Aaron's hands gripped our cocks more tightly.

Jorge pulled back and pushed in again, and after several thrusts, Aaron relaxed and began to move with him. I bent to give Aaron a couple of playful kisses, but when Daniel got up from Aaron's other arm, Aaron looped it over the back of my head and pulled me in to a real kiss. His hand on my cock began to massage.

I kept one eye on Daniel as he moved down the bed, and knelt behind Jorge. He rubbed Jorge's shoulders and leaned back to watch Jorge's body move. He stroked down Jorge's back, caressed his butt, and rubbed lightly between his legs.

Then with a hand on Jorge's shoulder, Daniel spit in his hand, lubing Jorge's butt and then his own cock. He moved forward and Jorge paused as Daniel positioned himself, and then pushed in.

Jorge leaned back against him, laying his head back on Daniel's shoulder and sighed. From his face and his body, I decided that Jorge still had a thing for Daniel.

They started to move together and Aaron pulled my face back into our kiss, his hand growing more insistent on my cock. I reached for his and we stroked each other as we kissed.

The quiet room began to fill with sighs and moans. I slipped my other arm under the back of Aaron's shoulders and enjoyed his familiar taste and the firmness of his lips, the warmth of his mouth, the heat of his breath.

We stroked each other, but gently while Daniel and Jorge rocked in unison up on their knees, back on their haunches. Jorge held Aaron's legs. Daniel had both hands on Jorge's belly; one high, one low. From time to time Jorge turned back over his shoulder and they kissed.

Before long, Jorge began to rise higher with each thrust. His head rolled back and he began to moan as his hips pumped.

And then he arched back against Daniel while thrusting all the way forward with his hips. Aaron grabbed my cock more tightly and froze while Jorge emptied himself.

Daniel chewed on the side of Jorge's neck and behind his ear. And eventually, he pulled Jorge out from Aaron and the two of them lay over on their side. Daniel ground forward with his hips, driving Jorge's hips over, pushing him onto his stomach. Then Daniel wrapped his arms over Jorge's head and continued to chew on his ear as he ground into Jorge's flattened body.

Aaron rolled on to me and we pulled our hands from between us so that our cocks could meet unhindered. He wrapped his arms under my back and I wrapped mine over his powerful shoulders, and I spread my legs for him to settle between.

We ground slowly, concentrating on the work of our tongues and mouths. I expected him to lift my legs, but instead, he simply rubbed on me with his cock and I rubbed back. Aaron was almost casual as we moved together and I was in no hurry. His kisses became milder, gentler, loving, affectionate.

I heard the sounds of Daniel's orgasm and soon noticed that they had quit moving. When I glanced over, I saw that they had spooned on their sides, Daniel holding Jorge, one arm over Jorge's waist, Jorge's head on his other arm.

Seeing them like that, in a way, released me. I wanted to give in to the feelings that Aaron stirred in me, and I did. The weight of Aaron's strong body on mine felt good, and my hands roamed the smooth, warm skin of his back and butt, tight over his hard muscles.

I don't recall ever kissing and grinding so long without coming. Daniel and Jorge fell off to sleep.

He ground harder, faster. I grabbed his butt, spreading my legs wider and rubbed up into him. Our balls pressed together and the hardness of our bellies rubbed the undersides of our cocks in long grinds. I pulled him tighter and felt a churning in my balls.

We pressed hard against each other. I lifted my hips, and he pressed down, focusing our weight and pressure on the base of our cocks. He pulled back and thrust again. And suddenly, Aaron's whole body shook, and he moaned softly as he started to come. I pulled hard on his butt and pushing up with my hips, I rubbed frantically, managing to come with him.

We ground on past the end of our orgasm and slowed gradually. Our kisses grew gentle once more. He rested his forehead on mine, and then sighed. He kissed each of my cheeks and his strong body, relaxing on mine, felt so comfortable I considered sleeping that way.

But then he slid to one side, slipping an arm behind my neck. With his other, he reached across my waist and grabbed my hip. He covered my middle with his leg and pulled me into the comfort of his body. To an eighteen year-old whose body had been beaten, even a strong eighteen year-old, to be held in strong arms, to feel protected and treasured... it was a remarkable feeling.

Aaron nuzzled the side of my face, and kissed my cheek. He pulled lightly on my chin so that I would look at him. Then he leaned his head back and watched me for a long time, studying my eyes, my face.

He was undeniably handsome; his wide set eyes, dark pools in the faint light. If Daniel hadn't come for me, I decided, I wouldn't have lasted the summer; I would have lost myself to Aaron.

I stroked his back with my fingertips and watched him watch me. I had to remind myself that I belonged to Daniel. And at least for now, Aaron belonged to Jorge.

Finally he took a deep breath. "Sullivan," he said softly and smiled. "We're going to be friends a long, long time."

He squeezed my shoulder in his strong hand. "And we're going to do this again," he said.

He leaned forward, nuzzling his nose under my cheek, wrapping me tighter with his arm and leg. "If I wasn't so tired..." he said softly, and yawned. "... we'd go again."

I hugged his strong back. I could do it; I could go again. Daniel and I hadn't done anything since the beach. But I let Aaron rest because I had begun to feel slightly guilty; Daniel lay only a couple of feet away, but I could almost forget him in the comfort of Aaron's arms.

I whispered softly so Daniel wouldn't hear if he were awake. "Incredible, amazing sex," I said, and then felt even more guilty.

But it felt so damned good in Aaron's arms, I had to ignore a persistent erection as I tried to think about sleep. Aaron relaxed even more onto me, our legs between each other's, pressing cocks. Aaron's breathing grew regular. And eventually, I drifted off.

It was one of those dreams that come when you're sleeping lightly; a long dream, a nice dream. Aaron and I were alone somewhere on the high plains and he was a warrior, a native American warrior, wearing a colorful loincloth. And I was naked.

"I will train you, Young Brave," he told me with a glint in his eye and a low, serious voice. "I will prepare you for battle against our enemy." He stepped forward, stirring a bright red paste. And then he rubbed it on my belly.

"War paint," he answered, spreading it over my stomach and up on my chest. "We will put on our war paint, and then I will teach you how to fight."

He spread the paint over my body with the flat of his hand. "Now, we share paint," he said, and wrapping his arms around me, rubbed his body on mine.

Aaron grunted. Then he stepped back, our erections pointing up between us, unnaturally long, almost reaching to our necks, like warrior staffs. "And now," he said, taking mine in his hand, "Grab mine, and I'll teach you how to fight."

As soon as my hand closed around his cock, he tackled me to the ground, covering my body with his and we wrestled, our long cocks between us. "When the enemy comes, you must overpower him like this," Aaron said. "And then you must stab him with your staff."

"You aren't putting that thing in me," I told him. "You grew it way too long."

"For the enemy," Aaron grunted, nuzzling my neck as he pinned my body. "You put it in your enemy."

And it dawned on me who he might be talking about. "Just who is the enemy I asked, even as I rubbed my cock against Aaron as we wrestled.

And then I woke to the sounds of someone moving in the room. Aaron was still wrapped tightly around me, and the war paint on my belly was our mixed cum, still damp from my sweat. And over me, in the dark, stood Daniel. He wore a slight frown and quietly, he turned and left the room.

The room was almost hot. I needed to piss, and tried to slip out from Aaron's embrace. In his sleep, he resisted, but I managed to free myself. However, not before Daniel had left the cabin.

My cane was out at the truck, so I hobbled/hopped my way to the door, sat down on the top step, and put my feet down over the side so I wouldn't have to negotiate the steps. It was cooler outside, and I took a deep breath as I looked around the moonlit clearing for Daniel.

When I didn't see him, I tried hobbling toward the truck to get my cane. Then I saw him, coming from the side of the cabin where I figured he had relieved himself. Without a word, he came up beside me and lifted my arm over his shoulder.

"That's why I want to go over to the cattle tank," I explained. "To wash this off."

I started to give him a flippant answer, but didn't feel like I could. He knew me too well. He knew I liked Aaron. He knew what Aaron could stir up in me.

"You're the one who wanted to sneak up on them," I reminded him. "You're the one who had the hots for Jorge."

"But I'm not in love with him," Daniel said. "The trouble with you, Sean, isn't just that guys like you. The problem is, you like them," he said.

We reached the tank and stepping to one side, I held a fence post while I pissed and Daniel stood behind me. And I tried to sort through my thoughts. It wasn't easy, the beer still had an effect and I was tired.

"Yeah, right," he said as I finished and hobbled over to the tank to wash my belly.

"And if I weren't around," Daniel said. "You and Aaron would be..." he didn't finish.

"Maybe," I said. It was the truth, after all. "But you are around, and no one else stands a chance." I brushed the last of the water from my abs and stepped back from the tank. Then, as Daniel lifted my arm over his shoulder, I leaned close. "Maybe you better just stick around all the time."

"Maybe," he snapped back as we headed toward the truck, "you need to remember what you promised me."

At the truck, I lowered my voice. "I'm not forgetting what I promised. I'll never forget what I promised."

He stood there, frowning at me frowning at him. Then a smile started to form at the edges of his mouth, and his eyes softened. "I'm going to fuck you," he said.

We had just finished and I had wrapped Daniel in my arms, laying over him in the back of the pickup the same way Aaron had lain over me. And I squeezed him tightly. Then I heard footsteps and looked up to see Jorge taking a piss at the fence line.

I heard Jorge's footsteps approaching the truck. He climbed in, and spooned me, snuggling on. "It's cooler out here," he mumbled before quickly falling back asleep. We all fell asleep.

Aaron grumbled good-naturedly when he found us in the morning. And when Jorge told him that he'd only slept with us, Aaron lifted Jorge over his shoulder like a sack of flour and carried him back toward the cabin.

We watched Aaron, erection pointing stiffly up, carrying Jorge, butt naked over his shoulder, and Daniel nudged me. "Not a horndog, huh?"

"He has his moments," I said, as they disappeared into the cabin. And I imagined Aaron carrying me like that, laying me on his bed, and moving over me, hot, male, aroused.

Daniel, watching me now, stroked his chin. "Maybe," he said, "I need to throw you over my shoulder sometime and haul you off to my bed."

Daniel and I cleaned up and dressed while they were gone, and when they didn't come out, we leaned in the window to say goodbye, but they were both sleeping. So we left, and stopped for breakfast together at McDonald's on the way.

I had the clear impression that Daniel was trying to get me away from Aaron that morning. If so, it was only a brief reprieve until that night because we were supposed to see Ryan.

I thought about Ryan. Maybe Daniel was right. Maybe it was too damned easy for me to fall in love with guys especially guys who liked me.

My friend and editor Michael and I share an email address, btomandback@hotmail.com. We both really enjoy hearing from readers.

Authors deserve your feedback. It's the only payment they get. If you go to the top of the page you will find the author's name. Click that and you can email the author easily.^* Please take a few moments, if you liked the story, to say so.

[For those who use webmail, or whose regular email client opens when they want to use webmail instead: Please right click the author's name. A menu will open in which you can copy the email address (it goes directly to your clipboard without having the courtesy of mentioning that to you) to paste into your webmail system (Hotmail, Gmail, Yahoo etc). Each browser is subtly different, each Webmail system is different, or we'd give fuller instructions here. We trust you to know how to use your own system. Note: If the email address pastes or arrives with %40 in the middle, replace that weird set of characters with an @ sign.]

^* Some browsers may require a right click instead

Sea Change, Chapter 25 - Warriors

By Josh