Page 8 of Mama's Boy
They stayed in the water for about a half an hour until they both thought it was time for the umbrella and the beach chairs.Although the sun was hot, this early in the season the water was cold.They draped their towels over their backs until they warmed up and then reapplied the sunscreen.Chase went back to the boards to rent the umbrella with a twenty he stashed in his shoe.He put up the umbrella while Rowan began to unpack their lunch.
“I brought a little of everything.”Rowan took a small tablecloth out of the cooler and four rocks.
Chase cracked up laughing, “No wonder the cooler was so heavy.”
Rowan smiled.“I hate it when the wind is up and the tablecloth flies around spraying sand on the food.”
Rowan brought out crackers, brie and grapes from the cooler.Next, were club sandwiches with a couple of small bags of chips.The sandwiches had ham, Swiss, turkey and bacon just like Chase liked them and the tour de force was homemade brownies with raspberries and a can of whipped cream.“Would you like some unsweetened ice tea?I have sugar and Sweet’N Low.”
“That sounds great.I’ll take the Sweet’N Low,” Chase said happily.
They talked throughout the morning and early afternoon sharing life stories.Rowan told Chase about his father in Albuquerque.“I had to convince him to retire.He’s perfectly happy out there and is even seeing a nice widow.But before he decided to leave, he drove me nuts.Don’t get me wrong, I love my dad but he thought he could hang out with me because my two brothers were married and he didn’t want to get in their way.”They finished their sandwiches and Rowan plated the brie which was nice and runny.
“He thought because I was gay it didn’t matter.I was having a bad time back then.My best friend, Marty, and I had moved in together and tried to be lovers.I was working eighty hours a week and all I could see were the dollar signs.I had no free time and what little of it I did have, Dad took up with father and son outings, leaving Marty as the third wheel.Marty finally had enough and moved out.Thank God we were able to salvage the friendship.Our being lovers was never a good idea.He found a good guy by the name of Stewart.Stewart still looks at me strangely because Marty and I managed to stay friends.”Chase spread brie on a cracker.
“I’ve never had a serious relationship.I’ve gone out with guys for six months or more but never felt the need to take it further and live together.Eventually, they drifted away to someone who wanted to make a commitment.Lately though, I’m tired of the clubs and want to be able to stay home with someone, read a book, cuddle on the couch.I work about six hours a day, writing, and another hour doing edits on submitted works.Half the time I don’t know what to do with myself.”Chase sighed.
“That is when Mom isn’t calling me to do one fool thing or another.Last week she called me to help her deadhead the flowers she planted beside her walkway.They have plenty of flowers there on the grounds.Why she insisted on planting more is beyond my comprehension.She seriously needs something to do.”
Chase spread brie on another cracker and fed it to Rowan.Rowan took a little of Chase’s finger in his mouth as he put the cracker on his tongue.I think he likes me.Chase moved his hair out of his eyes.
“I like your hair,” Rowan told him.“I’m glad you don’t use gunk to keep it in place.”
“I’ve tried, but it always looks like I dipped my head in an oil vat.Every once in a while, I get the urge to try to style it, it always turns out greasy, so I end up washing it out.”
Rowan touched his hair.“I like it this way.”
Chase blushed.
“Why do you blush whenever someone pays you a compliment?”Rowan brushed Chase’s hair out of his eyes.
Because I’ve learned not to trust them.“It’s the damned English skin, if I feel the tiniest bit embarrassed I turn pink like a girl.”Chase hung his head to hide his face.
“Don’t hide from me.I want to see what’s going on behind those beautiful green eyes.”Rowan touched the back of Chase’s neck and brought him in for a light kiss.
Chapter 4
At about three, Rowan looked up.“It looks like those showers we were promised tomorrow decided to make an early start.”They quickly packed up, making two trips to the car, and then took the umbrella back to the beach rental booth just off the boards.
They made it to the car just as the downpour began.It was one of those quick thunderstorms that came and went within a half hour.By the time they reached Chase’s door, it was over.
“I still want to take you out to dinner tonight.Why don’t you throw together some clothes in a duffle and you can shower in the guest bedroom at my place?That way I won’t get sand all over your furniture while I wait for you.”Chase thought for a minute.I like him.I’m going to take a chance.
“That sounds good.Let me get my clothes.”Chase went to the master bedroom at the back of the house and came back with a dark green casual shirt and a pair of charcoal slacks, socks, briefs and a pair of dress shoes.Oh my God, I just blew it.I didn’t ask him where we were going, I might be bringing stuff that’s too dressy.
“I love that shirt, it’s just right for where we’re going.There’s this little restaurant by the marina in Belmar in an old converted Victorian.I know the chef.There is no menu, just a list of specials for the day.She shops at the fishing boats when they dock at the inlet, and sources all of her other meat and produce locally.You’re going to love it.”So I obviously passed the clothing test.He’s still smiling.Any moment now he’s going to catch on to the fact that I’m desperate for him to like me.
When they pulled into the driveway of Rowan’s house in Interlaken, Chase got the impression of an ordinary home from the forties.However, inside was a different story.There was a sunroom and a deck which all opened up to the wraparound porch.Rowan had a beautifully landscaped yard that was as manicured as any English estate.His evident pride in his home showed as he gave Chase the quick tour.
The kitchen was magnificent, the master and the guest bedrooms were all spacious and the shower in the guest room was to die for.
He removed his fresh clothing from his duffle and put them on the bed.He shook out his sandy clothes in the shower and he rolled them up and put them in his duffle.There were four showerheads which he set to rain.Despite the sunblock, Chase had, as usual, burned.He had some aloe to put on after his shower.
As he stood under the four spouts of drizzling water he took a soft sponge to his skin using the sandalwood body wash he favored.There was an expensive shampoo in the shower, he felt guilty for forgetting to bring his own but he took a little bit of it and the conditioner for his hair.Thinking about Rowan taking a shower in the next room gave him a hard-on that wouldn’t quit.What would it feel like with Rowan inside of him?
Chase decided to take the matter in hand, so to speak, and began the fantasy in his head.As he showered, he heard the bathroom door open.He went still.A few steps and the shower door opened silently.Rowan was gorgeous.He imagined Rowan’s muscles rippled along his back as he reached down to the bench for the sponge.He grabbed Chase from behind, putting his arm on his ribcage.Rowan gave him a squeeze.He turned Chase around, knelt down, and began to wash Chase starting at the bottom of his feet.As he washed and rinsed, he kissed each cleaned part.Chase shivered when he felt Rowan’s tongue behind his knee.Chase groaned.He put more body wash into his hand and stroked his already steel-like shaft.
Rowan made his way up both legs slowly, laving and nipping his way to the intersection of his leg and thigh.In a surprise move, Rowan didn’t immediately seize his prize.Instead he stood and brought his mouth up Chase’s ribs to his neck.A series of hard kisses that Chase knew would bruise followed along his collarbone.Rowan turned him around again and his tongue licked the back of Chase’s ear down to the nape of his neck which was one of the hair trigger points on his body guaranteed to make him come.
