sharp. When he opened it and looked down, Kadin’s large, bold script jumped from the
white paper in dark, blue ink. He took a deep breath and started to read.
Dear Gregory,
This is probably the last of my letters…at least for a while. I know, I’ve been
writing every day for a year now, but most of those letters were short and only mentioned
my daily activities. I just wanted to keep in touch with you, even if it was just a few lines
about a broken hot water heater on Monday or a new set of tires for the car on Friday.
I’ve always had a great deal of respect for you as a human being, and as a man. This
letter, I hope, will sum that up. I hope it will also secure the fact that we’ll always be the
best of friends, no matter what happens. The renovations with the house are wrapping up at the end of this week, and I’ve
decided it’s time to go back to work. I haven’t practiced law for almost one year now,
and I’m starting to miss my office. When I became a lawyer, I did it with a purpose: to
help other people and to protect the great laws of this state and this country. Taking a
whole year off was good for me. It gave me time to focus on the house and think about my
life. I’ve spent a lot of time getting to know my children better, and I’m thankful for this.
But it’s time for me to get back to the world again.
There are still things to do with the house, but it looks wonderful and it’s livable
now. In a few months, I’m having a new barn built and by this time next year I’m hoping
to have at least three horses. Maybe someday this house will also be a home. I hope you
have a chance to see what I’ve done. I took your advice about the shutters: black on the
second floor and white on the first.
I even managed to save that old mattress from the former owners in the master
bedroom. You probably don’t remember the one I’m talking about. Why would you care
about something like that? But it was the only thing left in the house when they moved out.
I had it checked out and fumigated as a precaution. But it really was in good condition.
Besides, with all the money I’ve spent on renovations, it was nice not to have to buy a
new mattress, too.
At first, this past year seemed to move so slowly, especially September. And now,
as I write this letter, it’s just another flash that has passed me by. I’m assuming it’s been
the same for you, too, and that’s why you haven’t found time to write back. But that’s
okay. I understand completely. You’re obviously very busy with school and your life. And I’m very glad you are. This is how it should be. You are young and you have your entire
life ahead of you.
So I’ll say goodbye for now. As I said, this is probably the last letter you’ll receive
from me. But I wanted you to know I will always think well of you, and you’ll always be a
great friend. The older I get, the more I understand how lucky I was to have found your
friendship. Life is funny sometimes. You start out with more friends than you end up with,
because as the years go by, you begin to realize that you’re lucky if you’ve been able to
find at least two good friends in a lifetime. And you are one of mine.
If you ever need anything, I’ll be there as fast as I can. You can always count on
me unconditionally for anything you need or want. So don’t hesitate to let me know if
you’re ever in a bind. And don’t be shy about it either. I know you have a great deal of
pride, but don’t let pride ever get in the way of good friendship. As I said, good,
unconditional friendship doesn’t happen very often, and when it does, we have to hold
onto it as tightly as we can so it won’t slip away.
I’m looking forward to the future, for the first time in a long time. I’m moving
ahead with my life. I’m truly blessed to have children. They keep me humble, they make
me laugh, and they are my best achievement in this world. I hope some day you’ll have
children of your own so you’ll know how this feels.
So, until we meet again, I wish you well.
Best regards,
Kadin
Gregory read the letter again, then folded it in half and put it back in the envelope.
He picked up a rock and threw it into the creek. He smiled and put the envelope in his
back pocket.
He’d always believed in his heart that Kadin hadn’t let him down, but now, with
this letter, he had proof. It wasn’t a love letter—at least, not like most love letters
between heterosexual lovers. And he was glad it wasn’t. If his mother had read about
their sex and their passion for each other, she wouldn’t have been able to understand.
Their true feelings would have sounded dirty and obscene, taken out of context. But with
this letter, focusing on their friendship and respect for each other, the only conclusion she
could have come to was that Kadin Mulroney was a very good, decent man who cared
about his work and his family and his home and who knew how to cherish a good friend.
And Gregory was the one true friend he’d ever had in his life.
Gregory also knew how to read between the lines. When Kadin mentioned in the
letter that he was using the old mattress from the former owners to save money, Gregory
knew it was code for something else. He’d really saved that mattress because that’s
where Gregory had lost his virginity, way back on that calm summer night, when they’d
made love for the first time. He’d wanted Gregory to know that. Gregory remembered
how tender and articulate Kadin had been with him. He’d been so careful to make sure
Gregory wouldn’t feel any pain. It had only hurt for a split second, and then he
remembered the sensation of complete and utter pleasure when Kadin slipped into his
body for the very first time. As a lover, no other man had ever been able to compare to
Kadin Mulroney. And no one ever would. He stood from the rock and walked back to the house. He felt lighter than he’d
felt in ages. There was a cool breeze coming down from the north. It was too late to go
for a ride on horseback, and too early for dinner. So when he reached the house, he
walked into the front hall and looked for Kadin. He had plans for the evening that were
better than riding or eating. He heard the shuffle of feet in Kadin’s study off the kitchen.
He went around to the back of the house and found Kadin fooling around with the rabbit
ear antennae on the television set. He presented himself in the doorway and said, “I’m
back. I think I’ll go upstairs for a quick nap before dinner.”
Kadin turned the right antenna to the left and stared at the fuzzy screen. He smiled
and said, “Okay.”
Then Gregory yawned and said, “I think I’ll take off all my clothes, leave them on
the hallway floor, and just stretch out on the bed for a while. Don’t let me sleep more
than one hour.”
When he’d said he was taking off all his clothes and stretching out on the bed,
Kadin’s head went up and his hands froze on the antennae. He looked at him and smiled.
“You dirty guy. You should at least play it safe and fold your clothes. And put on a pair
of shorts to cover that pretty little ass of yours. When there’s a man like me in the house,
there’s no telling what could happen.”
Gregory smiled and unbuttoned the top button of his pants. “I’d rather be naked
and messy,” he said. “And I know how to handle a man like you, Kadin.” Then he licked
his finger, ran it across his bottom lip, and turned to walk up the back stairs in the kitchen.
He undressed in the hallway outside the master bedroom, leaving his clothes
scattered across the shiny wooden floor. Then he loped into the bedroom, placed a jar of Vaseline from the nightstand on the edge of the bed, and fell across the mattress face
down. He spread his legs and arched his back; his arms stretched forward and his feet
hung off the end. When he was comfortable, and he knew the Vaseline was within his
reach, he heard Kadin’s heavy footsteps clunking up the front stairs. He closed his eyes
and smiled. He knew Kadin would follow him up.
His big feet pounded across the hall and into the bedroom. He stopped for a
moment in the doorway and said, “I thought I’d come up and take a quick nap, too. But
you’re on the middle of the bed and there’s no room for me. I’m a big guy and I need my
space.”
Gregory arched his back and smiled. “Well, then, you have two choices. You can
either go sleep in the guest room, or you can just lie down on top of me, because I’m not
moving.” He lifted his right leg higher and wiggled his ass a few times. He was already
erect, but Kadin couldn’t see that.
“But I’m all messy and soiled from the barn this afternoon,” Kadin said. “I should
really take a shower first.” His voice went down and his tone was almost sinister.
Gregory reached for the jar of Vaseline. He opened the lid, stuck two fingers
inside and pulled out a thick wad of yellow grease. Then, while Kadin watched, he
reached back and pressed those two slick fingers between his ass crack. He opened his
legs wider and spread the jelly around the lips of his anus. He even inserted both fingers
all the way to make sure the opening was greasy and smooth. He bit his bottom lip and
slid them in and out slowly so Kadin could see what he was doing. “We can take a
shower together after our nap,” he said. He pulled his fingers out of his hole and wiped the excess grease on his ass rounds. Then he smiled and said, “Unless you’d rather not
get on top of me right now. You don’t have to, if you don’t want to.”
Kadin laughed and rubbed his palms together. “You’re a very naughty guy,” he
said. “I know what you want. And I’m going to give it to you.”
Gregory knew what Kadin wanted, too. But he didn’t say it out loud. “I don’t
know what you’re talking about,” he said. “I just want to take a quick nap is all.” Then he
reached back and slapped his own ass a couple of times. He knew this was Kadin’s
favorite position in bed. Kadin liked to dominate him and pin him down against the
sheets so he’d have total control.
Kadin’s eyes were wide by then. He sucked in his bottom lip and bit down hard.
When he kicked off his dirty shoes and pulled off his socks, they landed on the other side
of the bed. His shirt flew out into the hall and landed on Gregory’s pants, and his own
pants were down around his ankles so fast, he had to shake his right leg to kick them off
altogether. He jogged up to the bed, holding his erection so it wouldn’t bounce around,
and climbed up on the mattress from the end. His hairy legs rubbed against Gregory’s
smooth calves and he placed his large hands on both sides of Gregory’s shoulders. By the
time he mounted him and rested his body weight on Gregory’s back, his penis was fully
erect. It landed in the middle of his ass crack and he bucked his hips forward to secure it
in place.
Kadin’s muscular body was heavy, and his hairy armpits smelled like perspiration
and sexy, musky spices. Gregory inhaled and smiled, submitting to his strength
completely. Kadin put his solid arms around Gregory’s shoulders and engulfed him. He
held tight, clamping his hands together in front of Gregory’s chest. Then he buried his face in Gregory’s neck, under his left ear, and whispered, “In case I forgot to tell you
today, I’m in love with you. I’m in love with every part of you. You’re the most beautiful
human being I’ve ever known.”
“I’m just as in love with you,” Gregory whispered. “I’ve always been in love with
you.”
Kadin’s hips slid down and the tip of his penis reached the opening of Gregory’s
anus. He poked around a couple of times, then parted the lips and inserted the tip. His
erection was already covered with lube from Gregory’s ass crack. He went deep with one
easy stab. When he plunged forward, shoving it as deep as he could, his head went down
and he kissed him on the mouth at the same time. Then he lifted his head again and said,
“Someday, when I’m on my deathbed, I’m going to remember how soft and magnificent
you are. When I’m inside you this way, it feels as if my dick has been wrapped with
layers of soft, wet silk. I know that sounds dramatic, and I’ve never said it to anyone else,
but it’s true.”
For Gregory, it was a little different. Kadin’s penis felt like a huge beer bottle that
was ready to explode at any moment. He didn’t say this aloud, because it wasn’t quite as
romantic and tender as what Kadin had revealed, but that was how it felt. It opened him
wide and filled him to the point of distraction. When it was inside his body all the way,
and Kadin’s pelvis was pressed to his body, Gregory wanted to clamp down and hold on
to it there forever. But more than that, he wanted to please Kadin and give him all the
pleasure he deserved. He knew Kadin was a very sexual man, with strong needs and
passionate desires, and he didn’t want to let him down. “I could stay in this position all
night…forever,” he said. But Kadin wanted more. His hips began to rock and his shaft rubbed back and
forth against Gregory’s prostate. His large arms remained around his shoulders. He held
