Walking an Endless Path Pt. 01

Her lust reached a fevered pitch, so Rebecca turned Joe's face to hers and kissed him hungrily. Joe felt that surge when their tongues caressed, and his mind filled with bliss. Rebecca moaned loudly in his mouth, then increased her frenzied kissing. She was clutching his jacket as she leaned against his chest and trembled. Joe gently pulled back from the kiss and felt Rebecca sigh and relax against him. He tucked her under his left arm. No sooner did he lean back than Taylor moved in for her own kiss. She planted her lush red lips on his mouth, and her tongue began exploring.

Mark glanced over at Chloe, a stunned expression on his face.

Again, Joe was lost in sensation. Every nerve felt alive! Taylor was kissing him deeply when her body tensed up, and she squealed into the kiss. Joe automatically caught her with his right arm as she sagged down his chest.

Only a minute had passed.

Joe's eyes opened and blinked away the clouds of the euphoric feeling. His physical state was still very aroused, but he realized that wouldn't be resolved soon. Rebecca and Taylor were both tucked against his chest, blissfully sleeping it off.

Then he saw Mark and Chloe watching him. Mark was the first to speak.

"I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes." He looked at the sleeping women then he asked Chloe. "Are they okay?"

Chloe was watching Joe. "Yes, they'll be fine. They'll just rest for a while to sleep it off. Are you okay, Joe?"

"No, I'm not. You knew this would happen, didn't you."

"After what happened to Elizabeth and me in the hospital, I suspected it might have been something like this. When I saw you with Elizabeth on the patio... I'm sorry, I had to be sure."

Joe looked away from Chloe. He sighed and looked down at the two beautiful women tucked into his arms. "Kind of hard to have a relationship with a woman if they pass out the moment I kiss them." He found that thought horribly depressing.

Chloe's sad look returned, but she policed her expression and spoke calmly to her friend. "Joe, this is what, the third time this has happened?"

He nodded without looking at her.

"So, you're new to this, right? No man has ever got it right the first time. It takes time and practice to become a good lover. In one way, you have an advantage right from the start. You can make your partners feel amazing. You just need to learn how to limit it. How to finesse the delivery so you both enjoy the experience. You'll learn to control it. And in the meantime, your partners get the benefits while you get better at it." She smiled at him, relieved he didn't seem as upset.

Joe glanced over at Roger, who had been sitting so quietly while all this happened. Joe saw he'd given up any pretense of disinterest. His eyes were locked on Joe's large bulge, and he bit his lip. He suddenly realized that Joe was looking at him, and his eyes snapped up to Joe's.

He could see Roger's nervousness, but Joe just nodded. "We're cool." Relief, respect, and more than a little attraction were reflected back in Roger's eyes.

Bill and Hanna continued to kiss and paw at each other, oblivious to the other passengers.

Joe looked at Chloe and gave her a sad smile of his own.

They rode for a while in silence.

Taylor suddenly awoke with a startled 'YIP!' This caused the rest of them to burst into giggles. She looked a little chagrined but stretched luxuriously and had a deeply sated expression as she looked over at Joe.

Minutes later, Rebecca opened her eyes and turned her head towards Joe. "Hey, lover," she said in a sultry whisper. Her eyes rolled slightly, and he could tell she was still feeling aftershocks.

Joe, Chloe, and Mark looked toward Elizabeth, but she continued to sleep peacefully. So, the effect wasn't the same for everyone.

They felt the car turning into a lane. Mark pressed the button to drop the privacy screen. They could see from the headlights that they were back at Rebecca's place.

Bill and Hanna stopped kissing long enough to note the ride was over. They blushed, smiled at their friends, and then slipped out of the car. Mark got out next, and after Chloe extracted herself from under Elizabeth's head, she slipped out as well.

Roger helped a very wobbly Taylor exit from the limo and step over to her car, but it was clear she couldn't drive home.

Rebecca couldn't stand or focus for more than a few seconds at a time. She was still under the thrall. Joe helped her to the limo door and pried her arms from around his neck. She ran her tongue up the side of his neck and sucked at his earlobe before Mark and Chloe managed to scoop her from the car. Joe remained as stiff as he'd been when he entered the vehicle.

He turned back and scooped Elizabeth up, and for a moment, he just held her warm body against his. He pushed his nose deep into her hair and breathed the wonderful clean scent. He carried Elizabeth to the door with a heavy heart and stepped outside with her sleeping in his arms.

He saw Rebecca's parents were upset with her. They thought she had been drinking, but Chloe and Mark explained that she and a few others had been accidentally affected by second-hand smoke from one of the bad students while waiting for their limo outside after the dance. Chloe suggested it would be best if Taylor and Elizabeth slept it off here. Her parents agreed and went inside to set up some extra beds. Chloe made the necessary calls to Taylor's and Elizabeth's parents to put their minds at rest. Joe carried Elizabeth in and gently set her down on the sheets covering the couch. He covered her with the sheet, gently touched her cheek then left the house. Roger had already driven away, and Hanna and Bill had gone their separate ways too. Mark shook his hand, and Chloe kissed his cheek then they left together.

Joe looked up at the stars for a while. Eventually, he felt himself relax. He walked over to his truck, got in, and headed home.

When he arrived, the porch light was on, but his parents and sister had gone to bed. He went to his bedroom, stripped down to his boxers, and slipped into his bed, but it was a long time before sleep claimed him.

Chapter 13

Amy danced around the kitchen, her heart light and her head up in the clouds. Joe sat grinning at the table as he ate breakfast and watched her twirl around. He loved it when his baby sister was in such a good mood. The house lit up with it!

Now that school was out, and she'd exceeded her grade target for the year (top of her class), she was off to theatre camp for the summer. She made a few friends when he took her to register for the camp, so she was set even before she left. Amy was so good with people! Joe was always in awe of her seemingly effortless way of turning strangers into friends. Joe didn't have that skill, and he was especially tongue-tied around women.

When he wasn't driving them away.

Joe's eyes dropped to his hands resting on the table as his mood took a serious nosedive. He was still hurting from Elizabeth's rejection though he understood her reasons. He couldn't blame her at all. He was responsible for her pain. When she awoke the morning after the prom at Rebecca's house, she experienced the same rebound Chloe had, which frightened her.

To make matters worse, after the three went to Elizabeth's house, Rebecca and Taylor started gushing about their experiences with Joe from the night before. They apparently couldn't stop talking about how good he'd been with them. So, Elizabeth found out that while she slept, Joe had been unfaithful with not one but two of her friends. Elizabeth was terribly hurt by this, and when Joe called to see how she was feeling, she told him they were through in no uncertain terms. There had been a lot of tears on both ends of the phone that day, but in the end, it was over. She was leaving to prepare for university in a few weeks and didn't want to see him again.

Rebecca and Taylor were another matter. They wanted more and had left him many messages suggesting as much, individually or together. While this should have felt like a fantasy come true for Joe, it was too soon, and he was raw from Elizabeth's rejection.

Joe jumped back when a fat, juicy strawberry dropped into his cereal, splashing milk all over his face and shirt.

"Amy! What the hell!" he barked, tugging the wet shirt away from his chest. Damn, that was cold!

"Sorry, you were brooding again, and it looked like a job for the Berry Brigade!" she teased.

With a growl, Joe tugged his shirt up his chest and over his head. He used it to wipe the milk from his face and dry himself. He fixed a stern look on his sister. She was staring at the thick muscles on his chest, and her face reddened. Seeing this, Joe bounced his pecs. Amy jumped, then giggled self-consciously, knowing she'd been caught staring. Her face flushed some more, and she grinned. "God, Joe, put your boobs away! You're giving me an inferiority complex!"

Joe couldn't stay mad at Amy, which of course, she knew. This is why she got away with so much teasing.

"Look, I'm sorry it didn't work out with Elizabeth. If you feel up to telling me what happened, maybe I can help." She could tell he was carrying something bad that he wouldn't share with her for some reason. Truthfully, her curiosity was driving her crazy, but she wouldn't push him... this time. As he typically told her everything, when he didn't, the smallest item he kept to himself took on ominous proportions in her mind.

Joe frowned and looked away. This was just a little too sexual in nature for him to share with Amy. He was so ashamed of his behavior that he didn't want to face her disappointment while he was dealing with his own.

"Thanks, Amy, but I think I need to deal with this one on my own." He couldn't look at her.

With a seriously worried expression now, she patted him on the shoulder. She leaned in and whispered "Boobs!" in his ear to get him to smile, which worked... somewhat. Then she left to finish her packing. Joe was taking her to the bus on his way to work.

God, he'd been such an ass! He didn't blame Chloe for her part in the evening. She needed to know if what she'd suffered had been his fault, and she found out. He took responsibility for his own actions. He was an adult now and should have thought about Elizabeth before giving in to his lust.

"GAH!" he raged internally.

He looked at his hand and realized he'd crushed another spoon. He tried to bend it back into shape but finally just tossed it in the dishwasher with his bowl. He had to get ready, too, if he was going to drive Amy to the bus and get himself to work on time.

He just found another shirt, gathered up his phone, wallet, and keys and told Amy he'd be waiting in the truck for her and to hurry up. When he got outside and sat down behind the steering wheel, he thought for a minute, then composed a brief text message for Rebecca and Taylor. He said that he was really flattered, but at the moment he was dealing with his break up with Elizabeth and asked for their patience. Short and sweet. Why couldn't he be this eloquent when speaking directly with a woman? He sent the text out to them and sat back to wait for Amy. He knew Chloe had been able to deal with the rebound symptoms with time and hoped Rebecca and Taylor would find that as well. But especially Elizabeth.

The drive to town was filled with awkward silence. Amy had reached her breaking point just as they pulled into the lot beside the school where the bus awaited. She had never felt this way around Joe, and it was killing her. Tears pooled in her long lashes as she watched her brother's troubled face from the corner of her eye. He parked and turned to her. When he saw the tears, his face fell, and he reached for her. Instantly she was in his arms, sobbing on his shoulder.

"Hey! Why are you crying?" Joe asked.

"I c-can't leave y-you the entire s-summer when you're like th-this!" Amy stuttered through her sobs.

Joe squeezed her, rubbed her back, and kissed her cheek, feeling the wetness from her tears. He sat her back on the seat and gently rubbed away the tears with his thumbs. "Hey! I'm sorry for being such a bummer when you're off on an adventure. Please don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I just need to figure some things out. I did something really stupid at prom, and I'm really disappointed in myself. I'm too embarrassed to tell you what it was, so please don't ask. I just need some time to figure out how to make it right. Then I'll be back to normal. I promise. Now, please put a smile on that pretty face and have fun this summer! I'll miss you terribly, and I might even start to miss your constant and abusive teasing." Joe smiled at his sister, leaning her cheek against the palm of his hand, her beautiful blue eyes still looking at him in concern. She smiled at his gentle ribbing.

"Let's get you on that bus before they leave without their star!" Joe teased, his eyes wide open with fake fright.

They got out, and Joe pulled her suitcase out of the back of his truck and carried it to the cargo section of the bus. They watched it get stowed then he walked her to the door. He suddenly scooped her into his arms and spun her around while she shrieked and beat on his shoulders. He plopped her back on her feet gently, and she glared at him fighting to keep the smile from her lips. Joe could see many faces pressed against the bus window, watching them. He certainly gave Amy something to talk to the others about.

Time for phase two.

He gave Amy a deep theatrical bow and walked backward to the truck on his tippy toes blowing huge double-handed kisses to her the whole way. He was a terrible actor. Amy's face was scarlet when she climbed onto the bus, and he heard the shrill squeals of the other young ladies inside.

Yeah, it felt good to tease Amy, but the best part was she had her smile back. He knew he'd get payback for that little stunt, but it was so worth it.

Chapter 14

That summer, Joe threw himself into his physical labors at home and work. He loved working with his dad on the farm, and he knew the man enjoyed his company as well. Joe was picking up a love for the land, and nothing cleared his mind better than putting his muscles to work. That said, the heavy machinery they used at the farm did most of the heavy labor, so Joe relied upon his work at the Feed and Supply store to put a strain on his muscles. He'd relied less and less on the machines to move the stock into the warehouse unless there was a time constraint. While at work, he didn't socialize very much. Chloe was the one he used to speak with the most, and now she rarely showed up at the store since she was preparing to head off to California to go to university.

Sometimes a female customer would ask for his assistance and then try to strike up a conversation. Joe would be friendly, but if the conversation turned towards the possibility of a date, he'd blush and graciously turn them down.

Every time.

Rene saw this and was worried about the young man once more.

While she knew he was happy professionally, she'd picked up pretty quick after the prom that he was no longer happy socially. He spent very little time with Chloe when she came in, and his avoidance of touching had returned. However, though she could tell he was unaware he was doing it, he'd definitely begun to withdraw again.

When Joe returned to her desk, having moved a shipment of horse feed from the loading bay to its proper place in the warehouse, she picked up her clipboard and asked him to follow her to one of the meeting rooms. She sat behind the table and asked him to close the door and grab a seat. Joe did with a curious look on his face.

"How are you doing, Joe?" she began.

"Uh, good?" he replied, but he began to tense up. He caught the look in her eyes and instantly knew this was an intervention. She was so damn perceptive! What did he give away? "Why? What did you hear? Did Chloe say something?"

"Relax, Joe, no one said anything to me. You know I look out for the people who work here. You know I would never hurt Donald, Gene, Chloe, or you. You know that, right?"

"Yes, I know," he replied with a worried tone.

"Do you remember when I pointed out that you were avoiding touching people, Joe? Do you recall what we did to help you past that?" she asked gently.

Joe just nodded.

"I'm seeing you doing it again. You don't even appear to be aware of it. I might have missed it myself if I hadn't been aware of the previous behavior. Did something happen to trigger this again for you? Something at prom?"

Joe was tense, like he was about to flee.

"Please, Joe. I'm not going to hurt you. You can talk to me. You know that, right?" she continued with a calm voice.

"Chloe didn't speak with you about what happened with her... and I in the hospital?" Joe whispered.

Rene recalled his conversation with Chloe about this because she'd listened to them over the building's security system. She couldn't tell him that now or she'd break the fragile trust she'd built between them. She'd have to be careful here.

"Chloe didn't tell me, but I gathered some ideas from how she and you behaved then and now. Do you want to tell me? I think it might help if you got it off your chest with someone who isn't going to judge you."

Joe still looked like he might bolt at any moment, but he did seem to be considering her words.

"Ah, uh, something happened to Chloe, Elizabeth, and me that day in the hospital. Elizabeth, then Chloe kissed me, and during both kisses, we felt... this amazing... surge of pleasure. We didn't know what had caused it. It really frightened Chloe... and Elizabeth got all confused and thought I'd done something to her that I didn't. That's when I was afraid to touch anyone. I thought it might have been me." He stopped talking and sat looking at his upturned hands resting on the table.

"But we confirmed that you could touch people without causing any harm, right?" Rene pointed out.

"Yes, we did. But it happened again. And now I know it was me."

"What?" Rene said, confused.

"At prom. Elizabeth and I were kissing, and it felt really good. Then I felt the same thing I felt in the hospital room, and Elizabeth got a... big surge of pleasure and passed out. Chloe saw."

Joe's eyes took on a haunted quality.

"On the ride back, Chloe set me up in a little experiment. We were all in the back of the limo, feeling hot and excited from the dancing. Elizabeth had me so charged up before she passed out. Rebecca and Taylor were seated on both sides of me. They were touching me, and we were all getting excited. Then they took turns kissing me, and the surge of ecstasy made them both pass out. Chloe told me it was just something I'd have to learn how to control. Something I'd need practice so I could learn to tone it down. Practice!" Joe snorted with shame. "Rebecca and Taylor called me several times since that night, asking for a repeat performance. When Elizabeth heard what I'd done with her friends, she naturally told me we were over." Tears were dripping unnoticed down Joe's cheeks. Rene could see the self-loathing eating at Joe.

She had trouble accepting that Joe was responsible for anything hurtful. It just wasn't in his nature. For all his strength, she didn't know a gentler soul. Sure, he was an eighteen-year-old boy and was probably dealing with the hormones and uncontrolled sex drive that came with his age, but that wasn't anything new. Sex that caused people to be overwhelmed with pleasure and pass out? That was something else. He said Chloe had orchestrated the experiment (that girl needed a talking to, hurting Joe like this), so she wasn't part of it but had witnessed it, as had Mark.

"Joe, give me your hands again," she said. When he did, she continued. "This is basic human contact. It tells us that someone out there cares. It feels good and helps us find our place in the world. We should never turn away from this." She smiled at Joe and saw him relax a little as he took comfort from her small hands in his big ones.