Jamie - The Journey Begins Ch. 32 - Hold My Beer or Something....

"Hey Skip!"

"Hey you, sexy."

"I think I've found us a house!"

"No way! Really?"

"Yes sir! It's a 5-bedroom, 4-bathroom modern home on 1.1acres. Just amazing! It's got an outdoor playground area, covered-in huge outdoor BBQ and entertaining area."

"It sounds amazing!"

"Doesn't stop there: has a pool with a spa." Ben's voice was increasing in pitch and excitement with every sentence. "Shade sails over one end. There is still one-third of the allotment that's pretty much brush - you can go dirt bike riding out back."

"Or make an off-road course for my truck, yeahhh?"

"Sure you could, too."

"Is it in our price range? Where is it?"

"Circle C Ranch - at the end of a lane and a huge land reserve behind it."

"Oh yeah, dead-end street. Nice not much traffic either."

"It's the last lot in the street. there's undeveloped acreage behind it that's part of the allotment. The asking price is only just a little outside our range, but the realtor suggested we put an offer in below our limit and see. If they accept it, all good. If not, we can put in a counter if we want to."

"Yeah, I'm in. Do it Ben! Do it."

"Y'all don't want to see the place first?"

"Nope! I trust you. Hey it's half yours, so if you like it, I'm in."

"Oh, thank you, thank you. You won't regret it."

I have to say that was the longest 24hrs ever - I think they all were trying to psych us out, see if we'd panic and counteroffer, sweeten the deal before they'd even turned us down.

Our guy called and said were we able to move on the price. Ben told him for a settlement in the fall, we could go a bit higher. It worked, settlement would be in around six weeks.

I can't tell you how happy we were to get this. And at the price, we were able to hang on to Ben's place and also mine in Oz. It would be a little tight for the first 6 months, but then, we'd be all good.

..o0o..

Move-in day finally arrived. Ben was all over it - he had most of the house already packed, plus he'd found some pretty reasonable movers as well.

Lucas, Aiden, plus Ben's brothers, all volunteered with their trucks and a few u-hauls to help us move. Getting started early, it was a very long day, but we'd managed to move everything out and in. Sure, the garage and the front rooms of the house looked like the loading dock of a warehouse, but over the next 6 days, we got it all squared away.

There was enough space in our new home for my stuff too. It was still about 4 weeks away from landing, but how good, right. Ben luckily had arranged for 5 days leave to sort the house out and get his place ready for lease. I was happy to escape to work each day. Boxes, unpacking and cleaning... I was starting to have nightmares about it all.

The only problem with the new place was that I couldn't run to work anymore. I could probably build up to riding a bike in, but I'm not too fond of that on the highways during busy times.

..o0o..

Ben issued me with work orders on the first morning I had off -- lol, work orders! -- so, I set up outside, out of the way. It was stinking hot already, although Ben was inside with the Air on. It was a Texas summer's day all right. Have to say, thank god we have a pool, really. It's a smoker today - 105 by 12 noon and it was expected to top out at 108.

After stuffing around with this damn outdoor furniture - which looks so simple, right! - I ended up having most of my hand tools outside to put it together.

After completing one pool deck lounge and the matching side table, I was dry as. 'Time to down tools and make us both a cold drink.' Also thought I'd give Lucas a call - he was saying there was a chance he was changing jobs, still with NASA but working out of a defense asset or something, possibly in San Antonio, Austin, or near Dallas. I didn't ask why - if he could say, he would have volunteered it at the time.

I must have been a sight, -standing in the kitchen butt naked, rotating my hips so my cock was swinging around: ok, I was amusing myself while enjoying the cool air and making our drinks. "Hey Siri... Call Lukey."

'Calling Lukey.' I was calling Lucas Spencer on my I-Phone.

"Hey you - how you going, buddyyyyyy?"

"Hey twin, whaddup?"

"All good here. How's the world treating you and the lovely Hailey hmm?"

"Fuck, man! This humidity is a bitch today - my balls are melting."

"Why don't you guys come over for a swim, dinner, stay... whatever? What's 2 ¾ hours in the comfort of an Air-conditioned truck, plus you can leave that humid shit behind. Mate, it's lovely dry heat here today? Plus, Ben's got the air running, and there's the pool too."

"Yeah, not a bad idea. Hold on I'll go ask the secretary of homeland."

I could hear muffled voices in the background. "Lucas, I'll be back in a second - just giving Ben his drink," I yelled out in the hope he heard me.

"Drink he?," he laughed. "That's what you kids calling it these days?"

I laughed. "Just going to ignore that."

"Hey, Ben-ja-min," I called out as he walked into the living room. "Jeez, this is starting to take shape." I looked around the room. "Here, I brought you a cold one, and me." I gave him a 'take me to the bedroom' look.

He kissed my cheek as I leaned in to place the cold glass of iced lemon on a coaster on the table. Yes, I've been house trained!

"Thank you. I needed a reason to stop unpacking for a moment."

"I asked Lucas and Hailey if they wanted to come over - he's checking."

"If they want to stay the night I've already set up the guest room."

"Yeah great, I'll ask. What time can we stop? I can't wait to go for a swim and do a little BBQ-ing."

"Let's give it a couple more hours. Then we can call it for the day. That ok, Skip?"

"Sure, Tex!" And with that, I kissed him and headed back to the kitchen.

Halfway across the kitchen I could hear Lucas yelling out on the speaker, "Oi!! Where are you?"

Quickly I picked up the pace, crossing the room. "Ok, ok... jeez, hold your water, Lucas."

"Ok, we've decided to come back, have we?" I wasn't sure if he was joking about or getting pissy at me. He doesn't get pissy often - it's such a surprise when he does. Yeah, it pretty much catches me off guard too - that why he plays it up.

"Hey, sorry man. Just took Ben a cold drink - we got chatting about you guys for a moment," I offered almost apologetically.

"Haha! Got ya!" he laughed.

"Son of a ... you love to take any and all opportunities to take the piss, don't ya?"

"Well, yeah, and YOU don't, Jamie? Come on, really. Ok, ok... listen, we're coming," he offered in an apologetic voice, but I could hear the smirk on his face also. "Hailey asked if the pool's all clean and ready to go. She's looking forward to floating around the rest of the day."

"Yeah, tell her it's all good to go. Been for a swim already -- it's awesome in."

"Hail's... Skippy has been a good pool boy ... it's ready to go."

"Smartass -- double smartass." (Skippy and pool boy! Skippy, by the way, is the name of a 70's TV show in Australia about a kid that lived in a nature park and had a super-smart pet kangaroo... watch it - it's very 70's, haha.)

"Then what are we waiting for? Come on," Hailey yelled out.

"Ok honey. Can you grab my stuff, please? I just want to tell Jamie?"

"Tell me what? Is she pregnant? Am I gonna be an uncle? Yay!!"

"No, dufus. We're practicing. Look, anyway, that change of location I told you about is going to happen, so Hailey has been looking at some places online to lease or maybe buy over your way. She wants to drive past a few while we're at your place."

"Yeah awesome! There are a few for sale a few streets over - we can go see them. Stay overnight and we can look in the morning. Ben's got the spare room set up, so come and stay for a day or two. Be nice to hang out and stuff."

"Ok see you soon."

"Bye mate. See you."

Am glad they're coming, but goddamn, it's hot out!! Lucas will have that air cranked up. For a southern boy, he's not really into the heat, plus the humidity over in Houston is killing him.

We learned back home on super hot days, you just head out early or late but not in the middle of the day unless you have to, right. I remember going to Queensland a few years ago on a boys' weekend: the humidity was a killer. Friends said you get used to it, but damn, the first few days were balls hot.

"Ben...Hail's and Lucas are on the way!"

..o0o..

I'd been outside putting the next section of the new outdoor setting together. It was taking forever and I'm pretty good with mechanical stuff. I'll blame the heat, even though I was smart enough to be working in the shade, but still I was sweating bullets.

Earlier in the day, ok at 0700, I started outside in a tee and my running shorts; now, the tee was gone and only my loose-fitting running shorts remained. Even just with those on, it was becoming rather sweaty and uncomfortable down there, if you know what I mean.

After finishing the assembly of the last pool deck chair, I was done, well for the moment. Man, the hand tools had even slipped out of my sweaty fingers once or twice. 'Fuck this - gotta cool down!' I made a line straight to the pool. Whoa, it looked so inviting, so damn cool.

I was about 4 yards off when I slipped off my shorts, taking a few quick steps and doing a front flip into the pool. The sudden change in temperature was exhilarating - I swear there was steam coming off my body as I went under. The feeling of cool water surrounding me as I came off the bottom was just reward of my hours out in the heat. When I broke the surface, I could feel the warm air, well pretty much hot air, surrounding my face and upper body as I swam across to the side of the pool lifting myself out. 'That was fantastic.'

I was a mix of sensations: the cool of the water was being evaporated up pretty quickly as I'd climbed out the sunny end of the pool and yet, man, the hot sun felt so nice on my back, butt, and legs as I returned to my never-ending assembly project. 'Next box, please.'

"Jamie, I've made us some lunch. Come on in." Walking in the large open folding doors to the kitchen, Ben spotted me. "Hey, didn't you have shorts on before?"

"Yeah, I went for a swim, couldn't be stuffed putting them back on. What does my nakedness offend?"

Ben pulled a very funny face at that. "It's distracting," he teased, pulling a fake face like he'd just sniffed a pair of my socks after riding the dirt bike for hours. (Damn - sometimes they can almost walk on their own, haha.) "But I don't mind seeing you naked!" A mischievous look spread across his face as he walked over. At first, I didn't even notice his finger run up my thigh tracing its way to and along my soft cock.

"Hmm, that's nice."

He leaned in quickly, flicking his tongue across my nipple." Hmm... salty, nice."

"Oh fuck! I love it when you do that."

The thoughts of my rapidly hardening cock were broken by his hand working its way up my neck, coming to rest at the back of my head, pulling me down into a long slow kiss.

When we finally broke, let's just say I wasn't all that soft anymore.

"Maybe I should strip off and go for a swim too, hey."

"I'd love to help you out of all your clothes, hmm."

My hands found the hem of Ben's tee as our mouths reconnected, only separating for a second while I pulled it off, throwing it somewhere across the room, lol as is my always move.

We were just about to throw down on the summer sofa outside when the doorbell rang, and not once, like 50 times. Lucas always rings every doorbell that: his finger becomes a blur pushing the damn thing so fast. We looked at each other. "LUCAS!" we shouted in unison and laughed.

Ben walked over to my running shorts and pulled them on. "I'm gonna have a quick dip. He's your cousin - you go get him."

"With this?" I asked, as I pointed to the hard-on I was sporting.

"Get a towel and hide it. Go on!" he said as he sprinted across the deck to the pool with a loud splash, followed by a "Ha-hoo!!" as he hit the water.

I grumbled to myself a little. "I was so enjoying that too..." Damn you Lucas, and no he hadn't stopped ringing the bell. I went via the bedroom, grabbing another pair of shorts - ones that fitted a little tighter - tucking the rest of my hard-on in the waistband of the shorts, and pulled on a tank top to hide the rest.

And no.. he still hadn't stopped ringing the damn bell!

..o0o..

"Hey, Hailey! Welcome. And you, too, doorbell ringer."

Hailey was wearing a pair of Lucas' shorts and one of his button-down shirts, half done up, with her swimmers on underneath.

"Hey, lovely." I kissed her as she walked in. "Ben's already in the pool," I signalled with my thumb, pointing out back.

"Ok. That's where I'm going," she replied, pausing to give me a kiss, then waved over her shoulder.

"Hello you," I smiled at Lucas. "Love'n that doorbell today buddy, huh!"

"Yep!" he smirked as he stepped in, standing in front of me. "Where's mine?"

"You're what? Brain... life going... beer?"

"No! Hailey got a kiss - where's mine?"

"You feel'n unloved, there-there." With a mock smile and all, I replied. "Here you go," I said, as I kissed his cheek. "Better?"

"Much, thanks. No to the beer, but oh my god, yes to the pool."

Closing the door, I put my hand on his shoulder as we walked into the kitchen. It's so good that he's secure and comfortable with his sexuality and my choices that he can joke around like that.

There are plenty in our age group and that of our parents that just aren't, which is sad in a way, but it is getting better with each generation. Shit, the other day I almost got into a fight with some loudmouth who made a "fag" comment when I was buying Ben some flowers to celebrate the anniversary of our first date.

The guy in the florist shop, who would have been mid 50's, stepped in. 'There's none of that here. You can leave,' he said while booting him out of the store. When I turned around, I was ready to clock the fuckhead, and I'm not one who goes the knuckle, as we say back home quickly.

"Oh Jamie, that pool looks amazing. Maybe I'll..." And with that, he headed out the door toeing his chucks off, stripping off his shirt, and pulling off his shorts.

"Nice yellow briefs, Lucas!" That got me the bird. He looked up across at Hailey like he was looking for something. That's when I noticed his thumbs tucked into the sides of his briefs.

"No, keep-em on. I'm sure Ben doesn't want to see your hotdog."

"Why?" he questioned in a very indignant tone. "What's wrong with my hotdog? It's the same as Jamie's and Ben likes Jamie's one."

"Oh Jeez, Lucas. Nothing's wrong with your hotdog, I like it personally, maybe I don't want to share your hotdog? Anyways you can't just walk into someone's home and expect to strip off, that's all," shouted Hailey.

"Wow!" He was get'n all pissy because Hailey won't let him nude up. "Someone's cranky and needs a nap." I laughed walking up behind him.

Arms crossed, he stood with a childlike look on his face.

"DO NOT! And it's not just anyone's -- it's Ben and Jamie's place."

"Ahh, there, there. Come on." Quietly, I came up behind Lucas, grabbing the waistband off his thumbs and pulling his briefs down in one quick movement.

"What the...!" was about all he got out before I picked him up and quick walked toward the pool.

"Wait... what..."

The look on his face as we sailed thru the air before plunging under was a Mastercard moment, haha.

"Oh, that feels better," were the first words out of his mouth when he surfaced. "Thanks," he cried out as he swam over toward Hailey, where they cuddled in the shade.

"See, if we get a place near Jamie and Ben, we can come to swim all the time, Hails."

"But maybe with pants, Lucas... hmmm? Anyways, I've been looking around the area. There are a few places that look good only a few streets away."

"Jamie said that too... sorry, I forgot to tell you."

The look of love between them was heart-warming. Love 'em both.

After hours of swimming - getting out and sitting in the sun for a bit then back in the water - we had some ribs that I'd been slow cooking on the BBQ most of the afternoon with a salad that Lucas and Hailey had brought with them. Man, we ate like kings!.

Ben and I had settled on one of the sun lounges, his arm draped along my leg resting on my knee. Every so often I gently kissed the top of his head. We just laid there watching the sun slowly sink to the horizon - man what a beautiful sunset: the sky was filled with oranges and pink-grey hues. If I ever had a single doubt about moving to the US to live with Ben, days like these reminded me why I did.

..o0o..

It started to cool down at about 2300h. Ben and Hailey had gone to bed, leaving Lucas and me out back talking and looking at the night sky. The day's swimming and mucking around was starting to catch up with both of us too. We both were yawning our heads off.

"I'm gonna have a quick swim before bed. You coming?" I asked, standing up and pulling my shorts off.

"Yeah - great idea," replied Lucas, standing and doing the same. Both our naked butts headed over to the pool and dove in.

"Man, it feels so nice on a warm night to nude up and go for a swim."

After swimming around, we both climbed out, towelled off and went inside.

"See you in the morning, Jamie, and thanks for having us over."

"You guys are always welcome - don't have to thank us." Exchanging a quick fist bump, we headed in.

As I quietly walked into our bedroom - trust me my clumsy ninja skills had improved mostly. Okay, sure I tripped on my discarded chucks as I walked into the bedroom, but hey, that's a huge improvement, right. What was before me was the image of Ben asleep. His face was so peaceful, his chest slowly rising and falling with each breath, the summer sun had given his hair natural highlights his face and chest visible showed a beautiful olive brown tan, against the light-colored bedsheet. Trust me when I say it took me all my powers not to jump his sexy ass right then and there.

We normally didn't run the air all night as the house stayed pretty cool. It was comfortable with just a sheet to sleep under. I slipped in behind him. Almost automatically, he rolled onto his side as I slid in. Gently kissing the back of his neck, closing my eyes as I laid my head on the pillow, I could feel his body touching mine in a few spots. His breathing was slow and whisper quiet. There was a faint smell of his musk. It was just... it was like the strongest sedative around. Before I knew it, I was drifting off to sleep.

..o0o..

Like some dream I could hear my cell ringing. Half asleep, I looked at my watch: 0503h. As I became more aware, I realized it wasn't a dream. That ring tone told me that was my sister Steph.

As I turned to grab it, Ben woke up. "It that your cell, Jamie?"

"Yeah, Stephanie is calling," I replied just as I accepted the call. Looking at Ben, I was sure my confusion at her calling was evident because I saw it in his face too.

"Hey sis - everything ok?"

There was silence at first, then a muffled, "Hey, Jamie."

"Hey, what's up? You ok?" Her tone hit the alarm within me. Immediately sensing something was up, I was sitting bolt upright on the bed by now.

"Yeah, Nah! Look sorry... for the alarm. Jamie, where are you - at work or home?"

Ben sat up beside me, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"No, I'm home, what's up? Your kinda freaking me out with that-that voice, Steph!" I kicked off the bedsheet and climbed out of bed.

My eyes darted across the room then fell back to Ben. He was sitting up and looking at me, with the early dawn light just breaking outside silhouetting him. The worry was evident on my face. He came to his knees crossing the bed, his hand resting on my abdomen. I've only heard Stephanie like this a few times, it was never good.