Tim appeared in the hallway and brushed by Ben, barely using his crutches as he hurried away, gesturing for Ben to follow. They retreated all the way to the front door before Tim turned to speak with him.
“What are you doing here? I thought you were grounded?”
“I snuck out,” Ben said.
“Jesus, man! You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“Sorry. I wanted to surprise you.”
“That you did.” Tim squatted down to pet Wilford. “Who’s this?”
Ben introduced him.
“You know, he looks oddly familiar,” Tim commented.
Well, yeah, I walked him past your house a million times before we met, Ben thought. “He looks like Wilford Brimley,” Ben explained. “You know, the old guy in the oatmeal commercials?”
“Oh yeah,” Tim laughed. “He totally does.”
“That’s why we named him that. He just needs a pair of glasses and the look is complete.”
Tim chuckled and Ben joined him. For a moment it felt like everything was going to be okay. Tim would send Krista away, since she wasn’t important to him, and they would have their day after all. All these hopes were blown away when Krista’s voice called from the den.
“Look, you can’t stay,” Tim whispered. “I’m trying to get laid. I’m playing up the injury thing like crazy, and she’s eating it up.”
“Yeah, sorry,” Ben mumbled awkwardly. “I, uh, yeah. Good luck, man.”
“You, too!” Tim gave him an amiable punch to the arm. “I hope you sneak back in without getting caught.”
“Yeah. Well, see ya.”
“Yeah. Wait!”
Ben turned around, that last desperate spark of hope igniting.
“I need my car keys back.”
“Oh yeah. Of course.”
Ben handed them over and then hurried to leave. His face burned bright with embarrassment the whole way home. He felt humiliated and silly. How else did he think this little game of his would end? Tim was feeling better and his parents were coming home. He didn’t need Ben anymore. He would be back in school soon with his ditzy girlfriend and asshole friends, and Ben would be nothing more than an amusing memory, if he was even remembered.
He didn’t bother to sneak back in the house. Who cared if he was grounded now? Allison was forbidden to see him and Tim had better things to do. There was no longer a reason to leave.
Neither of his parents was home, so Ben had his bowl of cereal and numbed his mind with television. He barely noticed when they did arrive, ignoring his mother’s request for help unloading the car. When their attempts at communicating with him became too annoying, he turned off the TV and went upstairs to his room.
The phone rang before Ben could sit down on his bed. He picked it up irritably. It would only be one of Karen’s annoying friends, but at least he could have the satisfaction of hanging up on them.
“What?” he snarled into the receiver.
“Benjamin?” came the startled response.
“Tim?” he asked, not believing his ears.
“Man, I’m glad I didn’t get one of your parents. Are they still gone?”
“Don’t worry about it,” Ben insisted. “What’s up? Are you calling to brag or something? Tell me you aren’t screwing her right now!” he joked, feeling elated that Tim would call him for any reason.
“No, almost,” Tim said, his voice laced with frustration. “Came close, but she got freaked out by the European standard.”
“Okay,” Ben replied, not understand what was being said or why.
“Anyway, we got into an argument and she’s gone.”
“Sorry?” Ben offered.
“So you want to come over?”
Well, of course he did, but he had missed his chance. Sure, he could still sneak out and face the same consequences that he had been willing to face an hour ago, but he didn’t like the idea of playing second fiddle to Krista, of all people.
Tim picked up on his hesitation. “Maybe you and I can pick up where she left off,” he said.
Ben’s mouth dropped open in shock. His brain buzzed, analyzing what he had just heard and trying to find any other interpretation of the words except what he thought they meant. “I’ll be right there,” he said, slamming down the phone.
Ben ran. He didn’t know where his parents were, and he didn’t check. He was down the stairs and out the front door in two seconds. Another twenty seconds and he was in the safety of the park. Anywhere away from the road was safe from his parents. Had they ever gone for a walk or ridden a bike in their lives? His mind rejected thoughts of them and instead turned to his destination.
Was Tim really inviting him over to mess around? Jesus! Maybe there was a god! Something had scared Krista away. Maybe it was just too big for her to deal with. What was it he had said? The European standard? Did Tim measure it in metric or something? Well, whatever. He’d soon find out!
He found the door unlocked and let himself in, heart thudding in his chest as he walked to the den. Tim was waiting for him on the couch, fully dressed and looking subdued and uncertain. Was he having second thoughts? Ben hesitated in the doorway.
Tim’s black hair was messy and sticking up, probably from when he and Krista had been messing around. His silver eyes sheepishly considered Ben’s own, before looking away and down at his own body. Ben followed his gaze, over the sea blue tank top to the white shorts where it was more than obvious that he was aroused. The silver eyes found his again, all hesitation in them replaced by lust.
“C’mere,” he invited.
Ben went to him and sat down on the couch. As much as he had fantasized about touching Tim, he found it ironic that he now didn’t know how to proceed. He concluded that there was nothing left but to do it. He reached out toward Tim’s crotch, but his hand was caught by the wrist.
“What’s the rush?” Tim laughed, pulling on the wrist to draw Ben closer to him.
With his other hand, Tim reached behind Ben’s head and pulled him in for a kiss. Their lips met clumsily before they readjusted and found the perfect fit. Tim kissed him passionately, taking full control which was good because Ben was at a loss. This isn’t how it usually went at all! Strange as it was, considering the number of guys he had blown before, this was Ben’s first kiss.
He breathed in through his nose, taking in Tim’s smell as he enjoyed the sensation of the tongue darting into his mouth. Ben’s hand was released and so he used it to feel the chest he had spent so much time admiring. Tim moaned in approval and broke their kiss so he could take off his shirt. He leaned back and placed Ben’s hand back on his pecs. Ben rubbed his hand over them and Tim smiled cockily, enjoying having his impressive physique worshiped so transparently.
Ben worked his hand downward, Tim squirming beneath his touch in anticipation of where he was going. Ben wanted to draw it out and tease him longer, but he couldn’t control himself and grabbed Tim’s cock through his shorts.
“Wow!” Ben gasped. He been with a few guys slightly bigger than himself before, but Tim was significantly thicker.
He pumped his hand up and down, enjoying the look of bliss on Tim’s face. His eyes were closed and his mouth was open. Ben burned the image into his mind as one of the most beautiful things he had even seen. He never wanted to forget it.
Ben reached his fingers under the elastic band of Tim’s athletic shorts and pulled them back. Tim tensed and sat up, an uncomfortable expression on his face. Ben looked down to see and was startled. It was uncut! So that’s what all the fuss was about.
“The European standard?” Ben inquired.
“It’s normal over there,” Tim said apologetically.
“It’s gorgeous,” Ben said. He meant it, too. He liked that it was different than his own. It was exotic, and like the body it was attached to, breathtakingly attractive.