Aiden and I were twenty-two. Fast friends since we were sixteen. We'd grown up during the last days of the millenium. Over the years our friendship had been galvanized by differences we'd had, and had overcome.
There were times when I dared to think it. I loved him--as a friend with my head, as a comrade with my heart, but also in a different way....
It was lust, and it was because he was a man. At times in the summer we would sit in our shorts, Indian-style, playing cards or checkers and I'd watch, unsuspectedly, as the pink head of his dick poked through the bottom of his cut-off shorts. I always wondered if he did that on purpose, seeking an edge in the game, sensing my concentration would be elsewhere!
I stored the sight in my mind, using it as fuel for my fantasies. I could't tell him any of this. As open-minded as I knew he was, it still seemed a risk too big to take. Life without his touch was hard, but life without his presence was something I didn't want to think about.
Though I'd try to suppress my feelings, the sight of him would always excite me. At the beach, I'd toss him a Frisbee and drool over his muscles in motion. After a round of body boarding, we'd drag ourselves back on the beach and soak in the warmth of the sun. I'd lie on my stomach while he'd lie on his back, eyes closed tightly. I used that precious time to allow myself to drink him in. The tiny goosebumps, his deeply tanned skin, the movement of his chest as each breath circulated through his lungs, the blood pulsing through the veins in his neck, his baby fine hair wafting gently in the breeze and the fullness of his lips. His body was so inviting. I wanted to lay on top of him, to melt over him like butter in the sun.
In August we had our annual camping trip. We were on a day hike when we saw the sign.
Made of thick iron, the letters had been cut out by torch with intricate precision. "NO NUDITY ALLOWED," We looked at each other and grinned.
It was beautiful there. At the bottom of a canyon, was a small stream, inches wide, which flowed into a long, wide pool line with reeds and shrubs on one side and high sandstone cliffs on the other. We spotted several of these pools as we walked, each one more secluded and beautiful than the last. Finally, we found the perfect one, and it was ours--and ours alone.
We decided to cross the water to the rocks against some cliffs. Not knowing how deep the water was and not wanting to get our clothes and belongings wet, we stripped naked and wrapped everything up in our towels. Out in the water, we waded until it became so deep that we had to hold everything above our heads and bounce off the bottom. Like waiters carrying trays of food, we made our way to the opposite side. We climbed out of the cool water, and laid down on the rocks that were being warmed by the sun's rays.
After a while we got out our ever-present magnetic game board to play some Chinese checkers. I really wanted to play with his cock, but at least I was able to let my eyes wander down to it. Previously shrivelled by the cold of the water, it had now begun to grow. If he knew I was staring he never let on, and after a while he drew one leg up, placing his foot on his knee. His balls shifted in their loose sack, gravity took action and they rolled forward. I took this as an invitation of some kind, but it was so subtle to be sure.
Too quickly the afternoon slipped by and it was time to head back to camp. We both had developed dark tans over the summer, but being bare-assed in the sun was a new experience and, inadvertently, we'd burned our butts..among other things! It came as no surprise when we arrived at our campsite and Aiden declared it hurt too much to wear clothes. I signalled my agreement and we again threw our clothes to the wind.
As the sky blazed orange from the setting sun, we lit a small fire, ate dinner, and rolled out our sleeping bags. The night air felt warm and refreshing, and made me more aware of our nakedness. Not yet ready to sleep, we stretched out on top of our bags for a little conversation and a few hands of cards. It was much like the afternoon, except now the flickering fire highlighted his groin while the rest of his tanned body blended into the darkness. The cards were dealt and a few rounds were played. It was Aiden's turn. He started to chew on his lip in a way I understood all to well--his turn was going to take a while. He studied his cards in deep concentration. I studied his dick.
The dancing firelight seemed to set it in motion. It was hypnotic.
"You gonna play or what!?" I heard a voice in the distant depths of my mind.
