Chapter 2

“Thanks, I can—”

“It’s all right, I got it. You just sit there.”

The guy’s take-charge attitude was comforting. It had been a long time since anyone had bothered to care. A bit over five years, in fact, since Paul had left, trading David in for a younger model.

The Marine’s nimble fingers were now opening David’s dress shirt. The teacher leaned forward, trying to get more contact. Being touched, even like this, was heavenly.

“Like that, huh?” The deep voice caused something within David to resonate.

“Uh, yeah.”

“Arms out.”

David meekly complied, allowing the Marine to pull off his jacket and shirt all in one move. The warm air of the room felt great on David’s damp skin.

Kneeling, the Marine unlaced David’s shoes. Looking up, with his brown eyes holding such tenderness, the Marine said, “I need for you to stand, so I can get these wet pants off you.”

David slowly, as if he were in a trance, got to his feet. No one, not since his mom, many years ago, had undressed him. But rather than feeling strange, it felt wonderful to be taken care of.

“The bathroom’s through here,” the Marine said, pointing to a door at the rear of the room. “Will you be okay to shower, or do you think you’ll need help?”

“Help,” David said softly.

“Do you always talk this much?” the Marine smiled kindly.

“Sorry, I—” David didn’t know what to say.

“It’s okay, guy. I like the strong, silent type.”

David didn’t feel strong. He accepted the hand the Marine offered to help him rise from the bed.

“First things first. I make it a rule never to shower with anyone who’s name I don’t know. I’m Bud.” The hand, which he’d never released, shook David’s.

“Um, David, David Grover.”

“Well, Um David David Grover, pleased to meet you. Say, David David, so good they named you twice, eh?”

David gave him a confused look.

“Never mind. My last name’s Williams, by the way. Master-Sergeant Bud Williams at your service. Well, of course, my momma didn’t name me Bud.” A shadow flickered briefly across Bud’s face. “My real name’s Francis, but everyone calls me Bud.”

“Oh.” David realized he sounded stupid, but couldn’t think of anything else to say to the confident and outgoing man who held his hand.

Much to David’s shock, delight, amazement, once Bud got the two of them into the bathroom, he stripped off his fatigues, carefully hung them up, turned to face David and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“I…you, you’re—” David couldn’t believe the monster that hung between Bud’s legs. It was, well it was at least seven inches, and still flaccid.

“It’s just Lil Bud.”

“Nothing little about him,” David said.

“Hey, so you can string a sentence together. I knew you could.”

“Uh.”

“Well, it was good while it lasted. Come on, David, my friend, let’s check out the plumbing.”

So saying, Bud turned his back on David, denying him the view of his magnificent manhood, but the naked rear view with all those Marine-trained muscles was almost as good. David felt his knees growing weak again.

The water pressure was good, the warmth seemed to awaken something within David, making him more aware of where he was, and more importantly, who he was with. Squeezing out a generous quantity of gel from the dispenser, David began to caress the wide expanse of Bud’s body. The hard muscles were a delight to touch. So smooth, silk overlaying iron,David thought as he marveled at the wide shoulders.

“Like that, huh?” Bud’s deep voice seemed to fill the small bathroom.

“Oh, sorry.” David lifted his hands from Bud’s skin.

Bud turned. “It’s fine, I was enjoying what you were doing.”

David smiled as he began to lightly massage the Marine’s hard flat chest with its generous pelt of fur. “It’s so soft and silky. I thought it might be hard, coarse—” David realized he was speaking his thoughts aloud. He dipped his head to hide his embarrassment.

A brown finger tilted his chin upward. “Thank you, David. I thought maybe you’d be put off with all the hair.”

“No, it’s great, comforting, I—”

David felt his face heat up. Why was he being so honest about his emotions with this man? Opening himself up like this was dangerous. He’d spent the past several years building a protective wall around his heart.

Bud leaned down to kiss David on the cheek. “I’m going to wash you now, okay?”

David simply nodded before leaning into the strong man’s gentle caresses. A battle raged within. Part of him wanted to give in to this Adonis, offer up his body in worship, but another part screamed a warning that he’d only just met the Marine and he must tread carefully.

“I think you’ll do,” Bud said, lifting David out of the tub, much to the older man’s surprise.

David stood compliant as Bud rubbed a soft towel over his body, drying him with all the care that a mother would show to her child.