Fantasy or Reality Pt 2A by Just_Me

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Carolyn came into the green room while we were getting our makeup done. She was absolutely gushing. "Oh my God, you gentlemen were amazing last week, and our ratings went through the roof. They were the highest they’ve ever been in the history of the show. I’m just going to introduce you today, and then watch as if I was a member of the audience."

She looked at George. "I have a feeling we’re about to get into some really sensual stuff, and it seems you’re the one with no filter, modesty or shame. Try to remember to keep it PG. We have a saying around here, "It's ok to take us to the bedroom, but shut the door and don’t take us in the bedroom."

I tried to look contrite when I said, "I understand, but what are we supposed to do about the times on the sofa, or the rug in front of the fireplace, or when one of us was bent over the kitchen counter?"

Curtis picked it up. "Don’t forget outside during a summer rainstorm, or in the bed of the truck, the pool or that night up in the mountains."

"Oh, don’t forget the barber chair!"

"Oh, I’ll never forget that night." He looked at Carolyn. "We borrowed the key to Walt’s shop for what was supposed to be a few hours." A long laugh followed. "We were still there when Walt came to work the next morning." I looked at Curtis. "That was a night for the record books!"

She grinned. "I get it. You guys are…shall I say active? Just try to keep it clean. Remember, this is a family show."

She paused. "I have to ask. Did you guys give each other haircuts during that night?"

I grinned. "We attempted to. We messed up our hair so badly that Walt had to shave both of our heads when he came in. That was the first time we had our heads shaved."

Curtis chimed in. "We looked worse than his nephew did when his niece decided to play barbershop."

I laughed. "She only had scissors. We had clippers."

Carolyn shook her head. "I cannot imagine, but it looks like the two of you enjoyed yourself."

"Oh definitely! It was a lot of fun."

Just then her assistant walked in. "It’s time, are you ready?"

We nodded.

"OK, let’s go." We were about to walk into the studio, when Carolyn said, "Oh, one more thing. It took us a whole session to just cover your first few weeks together. Can you try to tell us more about a longer span of your life?"

Curtis laughed. "That’ll be easy. All of our life hasn’t been as interesting as our first weeks were. We’re basically just an old married couple now." He thought just a bit, "Let me rephrase that. We are an old married couple who’s still madly in love, and very passionate about each other and our lives together." Then he grinned.

I knew where he was going, and we finished his sentence in perfect unison. "And our haircuts…"

Carolyn sighed. "I’m so jealous. I’d give everything I own to experience that kind of relationship."

We went into the studio, and listened while Carolyn said, "Welcome to today’s edition of ‘Fantasy or Reality’, where we explore the age-old question of whether love at first sight is a fantasy or a reality. Today is a first in the history of the show. We’ve invited today’s couple back, after the way they were so enthusiastically received by our viewers last week. I’m very excited to hear more from this very special, very handsome couple. They’ve been together for forty-one years, and are living proof that romance and chivalry are not dead in our culture. They’re a wonderful example of what true love can be, and I think any couple, whether gay or straight, can learn from their example. Please join me in welcoming "Old Man George" Wallace and his partner, Curtis Roberts."

After the applause died down, she said, "Last week, Curtis was telling us about their first trip to the barbershop together. I’d like for him to pick up where he left off."

We got to the barbershop, and George walked in first. He looked around. "Wow, those cabinets are gorgeous!"

I think I had some pride in my voice when I said, "Uncle Harvey made them."

George looked astonished. "He did?" He walked over to take a closer look and whistled. "Wow! This is amazing craftsmanship, and they’re so ornate. Mr. Harvey, I knew you were good, but I never dreamed you were this good."

Just then Walt walked out of the backroom. I wondered if he was already sampling his whiskey. "Hi, hon…uh, Harvey. I was getting worried about you."

"These two yahoos made me late, but it was worth it. I brought you a new victim to practice on."

Walt shook Uncle Harvey’s hand and then mine. "It’s good to see you again, Curtis, and you came just in time. You’re looking mighty shaggy there."

George piped up. "Clean him up. He’s looking like a damned hippy."

Walt looked at George. "Who are you calling a hippy? You’ve got the longest hair of anyone in the building." Then he shook his hand. "Good to see you, Old Man George. I had just about given up hope of ever getting you into my shop."

"Well, these two yahoos drug me in here, kicking and screaming."

"I’m glad they did. Have a seat."

I thought George looked a little nervous. "Why don’t you cut their hair first?"

"My shop, my rules. Around here the one who needs the haircut the most goes first." He looked at me and Uncle Harvey, then back at George. "I definitely think you qualify as the one most in need of a good scalping."

George looked like he was going to pass out. "I wasn’t thinking about a scalping." He pointed at me and Uncle Harvey. "I think those two show enough scalp for all of us." He opened the yearbook he had brought in, and pointed to a picture. "I was thinking about this look."

Walt laughed. "That’s Eugene." He looked at George. "You’re in luck. I gave him that haircut, and I expect I remember how to do it again." He kept talking. "I forgot Eugene had that much hair back in the day. Hell, he’s totally bald on top now, and don’t have much more than an inch of hair around the sides." He laughed. "Funny story. One day he asked what I thought about him getting a toupee. I said, ‘A toupee ain’t gonna help you none. You need a full-blown wig.’"

After we dutifully laughed, he said, "George, before I start, I gotta tell you. I ain’t leaving that beard on you. It just won’t work with this haircut."

My spirits plummeted. I rubbed my lips, and remembered how the beard felt on them. I glanced at George, and could tell he was thinking the same thing.

Walt perked me up though. "I’m going to leave you some long sideburns, and see how that looks. If I don’t like ‘em, I reserve the right to whack ‘em off."

George spoke up. "Like Elvis chops? I like that idea."

My cock told me I liked the idea too. Images of us lying in bed while George sang "Love Me Tender" flooded my mind.

Walt took the clippers to George’s beard first, leaving sideburns that looked more like Elvis in the Seventies than the Fifties. Then he combed George’s hair. "Do you want a DA in the back too, or just the fenders on the side?"

George looked at me. "It’s not my place to say, but I’d recommend doing the DA. If you don’t like it, you can always have it cut off."

George looked at Walt. "You heard the man. Do it."

Walt whacked off the ponytail, and looked at me. "Do you wanna keep this?"

I thought about how much fun it would be to tickle George with his own ponytail. "Sure, and thanks." Then I blushed.

Walt piped up. "Why are you blushing? Did you think of something ‘interesting’ to do with that ponytail?"

I didn’t say anything, which made Walt laugh.

He parted George’s hair right above his ear, and combed the hair above the part onto the top of his head. The clippers came out, and he guided them around George’s right ear, removing a huge hunk of hair. I gasped when I saw that hair on the cape. I thought, "Knowing how much hair is going to come off is definitely different than actually seeing it."

Another thought hit me. I spoke up. "Hey, Mr. Walt. Why didn’t you try to pull George’s ear off, like you did mine?"

He smirked. "George’s hair ain’t as long as yours was, and ain’t nearly as offensive. To use a term you young folks use, I was grossed out by your long-assed hair, and maybe I wasn’t as gentle as I could’ve been."

I grimaced. "Gee, thanks a lot."

"Oh Curtis, by the way, the tan looks good on you. No more pasty clown look."

I wanted to give him a three-finger salute (minus two fingers) but just couldn’t. I thought, "I wish Mom and Dad hadn’t drilled so many manners into my head!"

I was surprised at how much work Walt put into George’s hair. I had thought it’d be a pretty simple style to cut. Walt clipped and snipped for a long time. Pretty soon the floor and the cape were covered with hair, but I noticed he didn’t take any hair off the top. All the hair on the floor was from the back and sides. I was surprised that I was feeling sad about all the falling hair. After all, I had surreptitiously encouraged George to get his hair cut. Despite my apprehensions, I enjoyed watching the process, and was glad that I had the suit coat on, to hide my body’s reaction.

When he got the sides and back looking like he wanted them too, he put a handful of Brylcreem on George’s head, and vigorously rubbed it. "Damn, your hair’s so thick I need to put more on there to get it to look right." He grinned, "I’m going to charge you double, just to make you pay for all the Brylcreem I’m using."

Uncle Harvey harrumphed, and looked at me. "I told you so."

After getting the top cut to his satisfaction, Walt spread shaving cream around George’s neck and ears, and expertly cleaned that area up with the straight razor, revealing a lot of white skin. Next he spread shaving cream on George’s face. I thought, "There’s not much to shave there. Those sideburns take up most of his face."

After removing the remnants of the beard, Walt rubbed even more Brylcreem into George’s hair, and spent a long time combing it. When he was done, George had a pomp that was standing up at least five or six inches. His dark hair gleamed, and you could see where every tooth in the comb had been.

George really looked like he had stepped out of a time machine.

Walt looked at me. "I think I’m going to cut his sideburns down a little bit. What do you think? "

I was quick to say, "Oh, hell no!"

I guess my response shocked Walt. "Wow, you put a lot of passion in that statement." He looked at George, then grinned at me. "I guess you’re right. He does look pretty damned nice."

I spoke up. "He looks better than pretty damned nice. He looks perfect." I grinned. "Besides, I need those sideburns to hang onto when I kiss him."

I blushed, and George’s eyes got a gleam in them.

I walked over to the barber chair. "Let me look at you."

George’s incredible green eyes were burning with passion. I couldn’t help myself. I made a promise to him with my eyes. He received the message. I saw it in his face.

"Oh my god. You look better than any movie star I’ve ever seen." A grin spread across my face. "You should audition for the part of Danny Zuko in ‘Grease’. You’d be perfect!" I gazed at his perfection some more.

I had to touch his sideburns. "I’m really digging the chops."

He put his hand over mine. "Me too, sweetie. Me too."

I asked, "How do you feel?’

A huge smile spread across his face. "I feel like a cool cat, the real dealio!"

"You are the real dealio in my book, and you look really cool."

I couldn’t help myself. I wanted to see what it felt like to kiss him without his beard (even though he’d not had the beard the first time we kissed.) I grabbed both of his sideburns, and kissed him thoroughly.

George looked shocked. "I didn’t expect you to kiss me. Being forward in public is more my style than yours."

"I don’t regret it!" I looked around. "Anyway, we’re not in public, it’s just Uncle Harvey and Mr. Walt, and I think they will understand."

Carolyn interjected. "How did Walt react to this display of passion?"

"Walt acted like nothing had happened between George and me. He turned his attention back to George. "I’m partial to the pomp, but this haircut is pretty versatile. Let me show you." He combed the hair straight back. "This will look good if you have to dress up." Then he parted it. "The quiff will be a great look if you have a business meeting with a banker, or if you just want to tone things down." He kept talking. "Are you familiar with the jelly roll or elephant trunk styles? You could do either one with your hair, but it’s a helluva lot of work, and it’s pretty outlandish."

George shook his head. "Yes, sir. I know what they both are, and don’t think I’d ever be brave enough to try it."

"If you decide you want to, let me know, and I’ll show you how to style it."

"Deal, Daddy-O."

Walt took a few more minutes to restore the pompadour.

George looked at Uncle Harvey, and asked, "What do you think, Mr. Harvey?"

I thought, "He’s so vain. He’s just fishing for compliments. That smirk on his face says he knows he looks awesome."

Uncle Harvey answered. "I reckon it’s OK, son. It’s a helluva lot better than what you had when you came in here, and you’re giving me hope that you’ll wind up looking more like me and Curtis after a while." He looked at Walt. "Don’t you think I’m right?"

"You may be. It’s been my observation that men keep going shorter, once they get their first ‘real’ haircut."

George seemed taken aback. "I don’t know. I might get a haircut like yours one day, Mr. Harvey, but if I do, it’ll just be for the summer. Hair does get pretty hot when both the temperature and humidity are hovering around a hundred."

Uncle Harvey smiled. "I guess we’ll see."

I read Uncle Harvey’s mind. He was thinking, "Hot damn. If this boy done said he might follow in our tracks, it won’t be just a minute before he does."

I knew Uncle Harvey knew that I knew what he was thinking. He lifted his pipe toward me, in some kind of salute.

Walt spoke up. "George, go stand in front of that mirror to admire yourself. I’ve got customers waiting for me." He looked at me. "You’re next, Curtis."

Walt adjusted the chair, and while he was doing that, I admired George, while he admired himself.

Walt pulled my focus away from George when he threw the cape around me. "Whew, that was a lot easier than it was the last time. Any regrets about your haircut?"

"Not a damned one. To quote Uncle Harvey, I’m happier than a pig in a slop trough." Then I laughed. "Maybe one regret. It grew back too quickly. I’ve really missed the prickly feel that my hair had the first day or two."

"Well, Harvey has the right idea. When your hair is this short, it just looks better if you get it cut every week."

"I guess I’m going to have to get busy and find a barber at home."

Uncle Harvey cleared his throat. "If you’d move up here like we done talked about, you wouldn’t have to find no barber. As much as it pains me to give the heathen behind you a compliment, he’s a damned fine barber."

George’s eyes lit up. "You’ve talked about moving up here? That’d be cool."

He seemed crushed when I said, "We mentioned it, but I haven’t really thought it through."

Walt changed the subject. "Curtis, I know you’re a pipe smoker. I won’t mind if you want to smoke while I cut your hair." He looked at Uncle Harvey. "The good lord knows I’ve been around a pipe smoker a lot lately."

I looked at George. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all. You know I like it."

I grinned at him. "Good! Some heathen woke me up this morning, and I’ve been so busy taking care of him that I haven’t had a chance to light up today."

I blushed when he said, "The same heathen hopes he has a chance to wake you up with a passionate kiss in the morning, and that heathen is even brazen enough to hope he can wake you up in his bed."

Walt started fanning his face with his hand. "Harvey, is it my imagination, or is it getting hot in here?"

He picked up the clippers and turned to George. "Are you going to keep looking at yourself, or are you going to watch me cut Curtis’ hair?"

"Oh, I definitely want to watch this." He sat down quickly.

I guess Walt figured he had his audience where he wanted them, and turned the clippers on. He ran them up the side of my head, and dumped the hair in my lap.

I was shocked. "Damn, a lot of hair grew back in two weeks. I didn’t realize there’d be that much hair on the cape."

George grinned. "I like it. I am definitely ready to see ‘my’ Curtis again."

I shivered when he said, "My Curtis."

I relaxed, just enjoying the feel of the clippers running up the side of my head. I thought, "I guess I really am going to settle into this life. It already feels right to be sitting in a barber chair."

After he got the sides and back peeled, my mind started wandering. I thought about the changes that had happened in my life during the last few weeks. "You’re doing all right, Curtis. You’ve admitted who and what you are, and you’re losing the fear that has haunted you most of your life. Plus, you’ve started a relationship that holds a lot of promise. That’s not bad, for just two weeks."

A tear dropped from the corner of one eye when I thought about my shattered relationship with Mom. "Curtis, you did the best you could. She’s the one who severed the relationship. You did all that you could when you left the door open for her. Maybe she’ll walk through that door someday, and maybe not. If she doesn’t, you’ve got a helluva consolation prize sitting over there." A sense of great satisfaction overwhelmed me when I thought, "It’s time to admit to yourself that this relationship is going somewhere."

The thought made my heart beat faster.

A loud "Godammit" from Walt brought me out of my reverie.

I looked at myself in the mirror, and was surprised that Walt was almost done with my haircut. "What?"

"This damned rooster tail! That’s what! I thought I told you to keep some Brylcreem on it, to train it."

"I’ve put some on it every day."

"Well, it ain’t working, but I’m going to make it lay down." He turned around, and started looking for something on the cabinet. "Where’s my damned butch wax?"

He found it, and rubbed some in. "That’s better." He poked me. "Next time, remind me not to cut the crown too short."

"Yes, sir!"

He finished up, and looked me over. "I think I got the top too short all over. I’m going to let the top get quite a bit longer. I think you need it."

Smartass me showed up. "What if I don’t want the top longer?"

"I guess you’ll have to cut it yourself, cause I ain’t cutting it this short no more." We both laughed.

George piped up. "I think I’d like that. It’d make the contrast between the shaved and the long more stark." He gave me a leer. "I think I’d enjoy playing with that contrast."

Walt grinned. "See, I told you I was right," and he turned the chair around. "George, does this work for you?"

George got up, and came to inspect my haircut. By inspecting it, I mean he ran his hand up the nape of my neck and shivered. "That’s the feeling I was looking for. Thank you Mr. Walt." He looked at me. "Take that damned pipe out of your mouth. It’s in my way." A big kiss followed.

George interrupted me. "I can still remember the look and feel of that haircut. He looked like he did the first time I met him, freshly clipped and very sharp. Bare skin curved around his ears and up his neck about halfway. The transition from bald skin into bristles was flawless, and the hair gradually got a little longer, tapering up the sides and back, until it melded seamlessly with the longer hair on top."

"The top was perfection personified. The hair lifted away from the part, showing how thick Curtis’ hair was. The Brylcreem glistened and caught every ray of light. I noticed that Walt had also put Brylcreem in the bristly hairs on the side and back. Those hairs gleamed, almost as if they were lit from within."

"Seeing Curtis made my hormones surge. I wanted to make out with him in the barber chair, right there in front of God, Walt and Mr. Harvey."

I turned to Carolyn. "While George was inspecting my hair, his beautiful eyes told me what he was thinking…and I agreed with his thoughts."

I really didn’t know how to get back to the story from there, but Carolyn saved me. "How did Walt react to your actions?"

I flashed her a smile of gratitude. "Walt acted like it was normal for two men to be having a personal moment in a barbershop. He just turned around. "You’re next, Hon…uh…Harvey." He stopped stuttering. "Oh, to hell with it. You’re next honey."

I looked at George, and he looked at me the whole time Uncle Harvey was getting his haircut. I don’t think we even glanced at Uncle Harvey while he was getting his haircut.

We didn’t know his haircut was completed until Uncle Harvey cleared his throat, and got our attention. "Are you two going to sit there all day making googly eyes at each other, or are you going to leave with me?"

George hopped up, and said, "You look mighty fine, Mr. Harvey. You might oughta be careful. Somebody might just try to hook up with you." He gave Walt a pointed look.

Walt spoke up. "I don’t think he has to worry about that. Someone’s already laid claim to him." He shook his head. "...and it’s about damned time. The stubborn old coot wasted a lot of years."

We shook hands all around. As we were leaving Walt grabbed Uncle Harvey by the arm. "Harvey, I don’t think these guys would mind if you gave me a bye kiss."

Uncle Harvey took his pipe out of his mouth and gave Mr. Walt a peck on the cheek.

Walt glared at him. "Harvey, you put that pipe down, and let’s show these youngsters what a real kiss is like!" Then he grabbed Uncle Harvey in a big bear hug, bent him over the barber chair and gave him a thorough kissing.

It looked like a scene out of a movie.

George and I clapped frantically and wolf whistled while they kissed.

For the first time in my life, I saw Uncle Harvey blush.

After we left the barbershop, we went to Uncle Harvey’s, and I took a lot of pictures of George. A thought hit me. "What if we went into the back yard, and took some…shall I say ‘suggestive pictures’ of you?"

George instantly said, "Oh, hell no! I don’t want any more pictures of this white neck than you’ve already taken." He leered. "However, I’ll be happy to go in the back yard with you, and get naked."

I ignored his comment.

He kissed me, and ran his hands through my hair. I stepped back. "Careful of the rooster tail!"

He deliberately made the rooster tail stand up. "I told you, I like the rooster tail!" Then he ran his hands up the nape of my neck. "Oh, my god. I love the way that feels."

Uncle Harvey interrupted a very passionate kiss. "What are you two still doing here? Go do what young people do."

Seeing Uncle Harvey made me think. "You said you needed help when you called. What do you need me to do? I never thought to ask."

"You’re doing what I needed you to do. I need you to distract that monster you created. He’s been driving me crazy. He’s over here at all hours of the day and night, making calf eyes about you and wanting to hear stories about things you’ve done did through the years. If you’ll get your asses out of here, I might be able to get some work done."

I had to laugh. "I knew it. I knew you dragged me up here so I could see George." I gave him "the look". "Like I said before, Uncle Harvey, you’re one lying, conniving bastard." I hugged him. "And I love you for it. Thanks for dragging me up here."

George grabbed my hand. "Come on, let’s get out of here." He laughed. "I guess I’ve worn my welcome out at Mr. Harvey’s."

Uncle Harvey grinned as he made shooing motions.

We got in the truck, and George asked what I wanted to do.

"I know nothing about this town. What do you recommend?"

He thought. "Milkshakes?"

"Hell yeah. Let’s go."

We drank our shakes, and then George looked serious. "Did I read you right in the barbershop? Did your eyes promise me something?"

I blushed. "Maybe?" I shook my head. "No, not maybe. Definitely. I’m ready to take the plunge, if you’re ready."

"Hell, Babe. I’ve been ready since the first day I met you." After a moment’s thought, he queried, "How would you feel about going to our house? I’ve been dying for you to see it. We don’t have to do anything, unless you want to."

"Our house? What do you mean, ‘Our house’?"

"I already think of it as our house. I’ve cleaned out a closet for you, and Mr. Harvey made you a desk, so you could set up your office."

"Oh, that’s so sweet." I looked down. "I’m definitely ready. Let’s go."

On the way to "our house" George looked at me, and I could see a question in his eyes.

"What is, you magnificent man?"

"Well, I’m really torn. I had thought about taking you to a nice hotel for our first time together, but we’d have to drive to Little Rock to find a decent hotel. Do you want to do that?"

I instantly said, "No, Babe. I want to make love to you in our house."

"Our house it is."

We pulled up in front of a cute, well-maintained frame house, with a wide porch and a couple of rocking chairs sitting on the porch. My fertile imagination supplied me with images of us sitting in those chairs watching the sunset, while holding hands and me enjoying my pipe.

I looked around. "Oh, sweetie. The flowerbeds are beautiful!" I looked around. "Hell, it’s a shame to call those flowerbeds. Those are gardens, and they’re gorgeous."

He looked gratified. "I do love working in the yard. I call it dirt therapy. It’s better for my nerves than anything else." He looked proud. "I like to think I have the best yard in the neighborhood."

I looked around. "Oh, you’re definitely right. There’s nothing here that even holds a candle to this fantastic yard."

He grabbed my hand, and looked me in the eye. Evidently he saw what he wanted. "Ready?"

"More than ready."

When we got to the door, he pulled a key out of his pocket, and handed it to me. "This is yours." The keychain had a heart with a cowboy hat on it.

I don’t think any gift I’ve ever received meant more to me than that key.

He showed me around, and the house was perfect. It didn’t look like a bachelor mechanic lived in it. I looked at his collection of videos and laughed. George looked at me, "What?"

"It’s cute the way most of your videos are from the Fifties."

"I told you, I have a thing for that era."

I looked some more. "You’d better hide some of these,babe."

"Why?"

"Someone might suspect that a bachelor with a bunch of videos of musicals is gay." I tried to act surprised. "Are you gay?"

He laughed. "Come here, and I’ll show you how gay I am!"

He turned some music on. Wouldn’t you know he picked Elvis singing, "Love Me Tender"?

I looked at George, and thought about Elvis. I giggled when I thought, "I’d pick George over Elvis, any day of the week. Elvis was handsome, but my guy is gorgeous!" Then I looked into George’s magnificent green eyes, and all thoughts of Elvis disappeared.

We sat on the sofa, and I said, "I’m really digging our pad."

George grinned. "You’re speaking the lingo, Daddy-O."

He sat there, just rubbing my head for a few minutes. "Do you mind if I get more comfortable?"

"Go ahead."

He stood up and took off his shirt. It was the third time I had seen his hairy chest, but I was still in awe.

He looked like he wanted to say something.

"What are you thinking, sir?"

His green eyes looked at me. "Would you like to get more comfortable too?’

I nodded, and stood up. I struggled to get out of my coat, and thought, "Who’s bright idea was it to wear all these clothes? I wish I had chosen to wear something simpler today."

George started helping. He gently undid the buttons on my vest, and then laid it on a chair. He looked at me. "I want to go slow, and enjoy getting to see you." Instead of just loosening my tie and sliding it over my head, he patiently untied it. He slid my suspenders off my shoulders and each button on my shirt was carefully undone. He nibbled on my ears and kissed me before pulling my shirt out of my pants. After removing my shirt, the wifebeater followed. He kissed my neck, and then stepped back and just stared at me. "My god, I have longed for this day since I first met you." Tears filled his eyes. "I have really fallen for a Greek god." He got a wistful look in his eyes. "Make that an amazing Greek god with a short haircut. I hope the Fates are weaving a fantastic future for us."

I stepped into his embrace. "Let’s not worry about the future right now. Let’s enjoy this moment, and the time we have with each other right now."

He nodded.

I had thought I would be nervous, but I wasn’t. We started exploring each other, but with patience—almost like an archeologist, unearthing buried treasure. Each freckle was something to celebrate. The way his chest hair whirled around his nipple was something to explore. His reaction to stimuli required that I test them. The way he shuddered when I nibbled on his earlobe needed to be observed. The softness of his eyebrows and the length and thickness of his eyelashes deserved close scrutiny. The multiple shades of green in his eyes needed to be analyzed. I had to test the abrasiveness of his beard, even though Walt had just shaved him.

He made a deep baritone noise that let me know how aroused he was.

Then he started exploring me. I didn’t know I was capable of the intense physical and emotional responses he aroused in me.

About midnight, our rumbling bellies reminded us that we had not had lunch or dinner. "There’s nothing in the house to eat other than cereal or peanut butter and jelly. I was going to take you to the grocery store this afternoon." A huge smile spread across his face. "Obviously other things happened, and I forgot."

I blushed, remembering what "other things" included. "I think peanut butter and jelly sounds wonderful. Where is it? I’ll make the sandwiches."

I was making the sandwiches, when I heard a tinkling sound. I looked up, and George was standing there with some beautiful crystal wine glasses in one hand, and a bottle of wine in the other.

"I don’t know if this wine will work with peanut butter, but I bought it for you the day after our first date. I wanted to share it with you the first time we were together." His eyes darted to the bedroom, and that told me what he meant when he said "together".

Tears filled my eyes. "I think peanut butter and wine sounds perfect. Will you open it?"

While I was finishing up the sandwiches, I heard a very frustrated, "Dammit!," followed by, "I ain’t never got the hang of these damned fancy corkscrew things. I can’t get the wine open."

I walked over and kissed him. "Let me do that for you, good sir."

I looked at the bottle. "George, tell me you didn’t!"

He looked puzzled. "I didn’t do what?"

"This is a VERY expensive bottle of wine. You shouldn’t have spent that kind of money."

"Get used to it, Babe. I’m not going to give you anything but the very best I can afford, and I could afford this bottle." Then he laughed. "Don’t be expecting it every night though."

"I’ll try to make you happy enough that you don’t regret spending that kind of money."

"Oh, you already have, my handsome prince. You already have."

We were eating, and drinking the wonderful wine when I said, "Damn it! I should’ve called Uncle Harvey and told him I was staying over."

He grinned. "I think he knows, Babe. I’m sure he’s not worried, and if my suspicion meter is accurate, he’s probably not thought about you. I expect he has company at his house."

A huge wave of happiness spread over me. "I hope you’re right, and I hope he’s as happy as I am."

I put the last bite of the sandwich in my mouth, and looked at George. Laughter welled up in me, and I almost choked. I laughed until it hurt.

I tried to calm down, because it looked like George was getting offended, but I couldn’t stop the laughter.

Finally, I was able to gasp, "We forgot about your neck. It’s still white as a ghost!"

"I’ll be damned." He jumped up and ran into the bedroom.

I followed. "What are you doing?"

"I don’t wanna forget tomorrow, so I’m setting a damned alarm for 11:00 in the morning. The sun should be high enough for us to start tanning by then."

He looked at me, and looked shy. I said, "What gives, Daddy-O?"

"I was just wondering what you would look like laying on the green grass, without any clothes on."

I kissed him. "I guess you’ll just have to wait until tomorrow to find out, because I plan on being right beside you, because I want to know what you look like laying on the green grass." I paused. "I should’ve said, I want to know what you look like laying naked on the green grass."

He hugged me. "I like the way you think. It’s a date."

The next morning I heard something at the door. I grabbed George’s robe, and opened the door. Uncle Harvey was standing there. He grinned. "Oh, I didn’t think you’d be awake yet. I brought you these." He pointed at the porch. All of my clothes were laying on one of the rocking chairs, and I noticed they were freshly starched and ironed. My shoes were shining like diamonds.

I hugged him. "Thank you, Uncle Harvey. You didn’t have to do that."

"I wanted to." Then he pointed at the door. "Get your ass back in there, and have fun today. Just let me know when you’re leaving."

I hugged him again. "I love you, you contrary old coot, and thanks again."

I went to pick up my clothes, and noticed that the clothes I had bought for George were there too. I picked up the leather jacket, and walked in the door, and yelled, "George, turn the AC down."

He walked out of the bedroom. "Why, it’s not hot in here."

I gave him a lascivious leer. "It’s about to get hot in here. Do you remember what I said about this jacket?"

He pretended to think. "Hmmm…If I remember correctly, you said you wouldn’t be able to keep your hands off of me when I had that jacket on. Is that right?"

"You know damned well that’s what I said."

"Well, give me the damned jacket, and let’s see if you were right!"

I hated to head back to Texas that afternoon, but I had to. Leaving George behind was so hard, and the damned tears that kept falling from my eyes made it hard to see.

We talked endlessly the next week. On Monday, George said, "You’re off Wednesday and Thursday?"

"Yes."

"How would you feel about meeting me in Dallas for a couple of days?"

"Could you do it? What would you do about the shop? You missed two days of work last week."

"I have a friend who can cover the shop for me." His ego came out. "He’s not as good as I am, but he can handle most things."

George brought me back to the present when he sputtered. "That’s not ego. It’s a fact."

I tried to joke with him, but it didn’t come out right. "It might be a fact, but you have a heaping big ego in that gorgeous body of yours." I softened my joke. "That ego is mighty sexy, and it turns me on."

George looked happy when I said that.

I went back to the past. We made plans to meet up, and George asked, "Are you ready to be blatant about the fact that we’re in a relationship? There’s a gay club, and I’d love to take you there, and show you off."

"Oh, babe. I’d love that." I thought for a second. "I can’t believe I’ve never asked, do you dance?’

He chuckled. "Do I dance? I have moves that would make Fred Astaire want to hang up his dance shoes in shame. John Travolta is scared to be in the same room with me. I’ll dance the night away with you."

As we were hanging up, he said, "Oh, by the way, bring the address of that place where you bought clothes for me. I reckon we both need some more clothes. Your closet is almost empty, and I want to give away half of my clothes."

I heard my mother’s voice. "Always ask what the dress code is." I asked, "Are we dressing up to go out?"

"You bet! I want you in a suit, and I’ve got a surprise for you."

"Tell me."

"Ok, I’ll tell you." He laughed, "I’ll tell you Wednesday night."

I laughed. "You’re a rotten bastard! I’ll get you for that."

Right before I hung up, I used the "L" word for the first time. I whispered, "Old Man George Wallace, it’s happened. I’ve fallen in love with you."

I could hear the emotion in his voice when he said, "Ditto, Daddy-O. I’ve fallen in love with you too. You’re the most."

We met at a hotel…and both of us were there two hours earlier than we had planned.

George and I unpacked our bags, but I noticed he didn’t open up the garment bag he had brought. I asked, "Do you want me to open that for you?"

He growled. "Do not touch that bag. In fact, don’t even look at it. That’s your surprise."

I laughed, and growled back. "Well, be that way. I won’t show you your surprise then." I stuck my tongue out at him, and said, "So there!"

We both laughed.

He looked at me. "You brought me a surprise? You shouldn’t have done that, you’ve already given me so much." Then his greed took over. "Can I have a hint?"

I know he could see the mischief in my eyes. "Sure. Your hint is that it’s a surprise."

He growled, "Come here, you little devil." He kissed me. "Let me see if I can tickle it out of you."

I laughed. "Go ahead. I’m not ticklish."

"Damn! I hate that."

I reached in my bag, and pulled out his ponytail.

His eyes bugged out. "Is that what I think it is?"

I grinned. "Yep, and I’m going to find out if you’re ticklish."

I found out he is very ticklish.

We didn’t make our dinner reservations.

The next day, we went to the vintage clothing store…and I think we bought everything they had in our sizes. We were like kids in a candy store. At the hotel, we tried to spread our purchases out and there weren’t enough flat surfaces to hold them all. George commented, "My god! We must’ve bought at least a hundred ties. I think we’re going to have to build a room on our house, just to hold our clothes."

Later that night, he said, "Are you ready to go shake your booty?"

"Let’s do it. I’m excited. I’ve never been to a gay bar."

"Well, it’s just like a regular bar, except the drunk cowboy is making passes at handsome young men, instead of pretty girls."

I bristled. "That drunk cowboy better not make a pass at my man. I might have to knock his block off if he does."

George grinned. "Babe, you don’t have to worry about drunk cowboys trying to pick me up. Me, on the other hand, will probably have to knock a bunch of heads together to keep them off of you." He paused, "I can see it now. They’ll be lined up twelve deep around you."

He rubbed my head. "The only saving grace is that you don’t have a fresh haircut. If they could feel your head right out of the barber chair, a bunch of these goons would probably kill me to get to you."

I sighed. "Not being able to get a haircut this weekend is the only thing that kept it from being the perfect weekend."

"Oh, my handsome Greek god, it has been a perfect weekend." He rubbed my neck, "However, a fresh haircut would’ve made it a more perfect weekend." He whacked me on the butt. "Now, go get dressed."

I thought, "Why go get dressed?" I started dancing while doing a strip tease, and taunted him. "I’m going to give you a sneak peak at some of my moves."

He made a passionate sound. "If you wanna go out tonight, you’d better go get dressed in the bathroom."

I had to think which one sounded more fun, and staying in almost won.

George almost ruffled my feathers when I came out of the bathroom. I thought I looked very nice, and he barely mentioned it. To be fair, he did mumble, "You look nice", and then he disappeared into the bathroom so quickly I almost didn’t see him go.

I thought I was going to faint when he entered the bedroom. He had on a beautiful vintage tuxedo: full tails, white tie, vest and gloves, with a top hat set at a jaunty angle on his beautiful black hair. A black cane completed the ensemble. He looked stunning! I let out a wolf whistle that was probably heard three blocks away.

He did one of his model turns, so I could admire him from all angles.

I couldn’t find words. I stood there opening and closing my mouth. Finally he said, "Surprised?"

I gasped, "Surprised? Hell, I’m flabbergasted! You look stunning."

"Hold that thought, Babe. I wanna hear all of it." He went back into the bathroom and came out with a hanger. "Just in case you get bored with the way I look, I brought this to change into sometime during the night." He was holding a vintage double-breasted tux. In his other hand he had a black Homburg hat.

I whispered, "You’re going to look like something out of a movie. I can’t wait to see you in it!"

He gave me his best devil-may-care smile. "Are you ready to go paint the town red?"

"Hell, yeah! I can’t wait to see all the jealous glares I get from all the guys who are pissed that you’re with me, and not them."

As we were walking out the door, I said, "Oh crap! I forgot to give you your surprise. Just a second." I reached into my bag. "This might finish your ensemble perfectly."

He unwrapped the present. "A gold pocket watch? It’s perfect! Thank you, Babe."

I said, "Keep looking. There’s something else in the box."

He pulled out some gold monogrammed cuff links. "Hot damn! This really will finish off my ensemble. How did you know?"

I shook my head. "I didn’t. I just saw them, and wanted you to have them."

He held me tight, and emotion filled his voice when he said, "I’m so damned lucky to have found you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."

We did dance the night away…and I was right. I had to protect George from the amorous advances of some drunk cowboys.

George snorted. "I shooed away a lot more men circling around you than you did around me." He looked at Carolyn. "Hell, every time Curtis would light his pipe, men would swarm around him like flies on sh…er…crap." He shook his head. "I never expected the pipe would draw men like that."

The next day, we started packing up all our purchases, to get ready to leave. I put a bunch of things in my bag, and George reached in and pulled them out. "These are going to our house. I want you to have an incentive to come back to Arkansas soon."

I looked at him. "Babe, you’re all the incentive I need to get me to Arkansas."

We were standing by the trucks, getting ready to head out when I said, "George, I may be rushing things, but I’m thinking about giving my notice at work and moving in with Uncle Harvey, so we can see where this is going."

He snorted, "Like hell you’re moving in with Mr. Harvey. If you move to Arkansas, you’re moving into our house." He gave me "the look" just to let me know he was serious. "Tell me when you’re ready, and I’ll come help you pack."

I grinned. "To be truthful, I’ve already started packing." Then the devil jumped on my shoulder. I got somber. "I don’t want you to think I’m moving to Arkansas for you. I have another motive."

He looked puzzled. "Why else would you move?"

"I’ve found a great barber in Arkansas, and I want to be closer to him, so I can get my hair cut more regularly."

He swatted me on the shoulder. "You bastard. You scared me!" He breathed deeply, like he was calming his nerves. He pointed at me, "You’re cruisin' for a bruisin’, Mister." He laughed. "You should’ve said, ‘I’ve found a great barber in Arkansas, and I want to be closer to him, so I can get my haircut more regularly, TO KEEP MY LIVE-IN LOVER HAPPY.’"

I laughed. "Maybe I should’ve said to keep myself and my live-in lover happy."

"I’ll go for that." He looked at me. "Babe, I want you to be as happy as I am."

"I am, sweet prince. I am."

As I was leaving, he said, "I mean it. Let me know when you’re ready for me to help you pack."

I grinned. "We can talk about it next week…when I come up to see you."

He gave a loud rebel yell. "Hell yeah. I’m so glad you’re coming back up."

I got to his house the next weekend, and there were milkshakes and another bottle of fancy wine on the table. I looked at him. "Milkshakes and wine? That’s a strange combination."

He laughed. "I didn’t figure you’d feel like getting out after driving up here, and at first I thought about the milkshakes. Then I thought about the wine. I couldn’t make up my mind which was better, so I got both."

I hugged him. "You really are a prince." Then I kissed him. "Milkshakes first, because they’ll melt. We can have the wine to celebrate after we…" I looked toward the bedroom.

He looked at me. "Well, hurry up and drink the damned milkshake."

I drank it so fast that I don’t think I even tasted it.

Later we were lying in bed, and I was playing with his hair, just admiring the lushness of his beautiful black hair. I dreamily asked, "Do you have Irish roots? For some reason, I seem to remember that green eyes and dark hair are prevalent there."

"I don’t know. I think I’m just a mutt."

I played with his hair some more. "What do you think about your haircut, now that you’ve had it a while, and now that you don’t have to worry about Walt’s feelings?"

"I’ve really enjoyed the attention I got from my haircut, and I love the way I look." He looked at me. "I think you’re right. I look hot with it, but frankly, keeping this damned pompadour out of my face is a big problem, and it’s interfering with my work. I spend more time combing it than I do actually accomplishing anything."

I grinned. "That’s what hats are for."

He patted his head. "You really expect me to hide this perfect pompadour under a hat? How dare you?"

"You may be right, Babe. It would be a shame to hide it."

I could tell he was thinking. Finally, he came out with it. "I know you love my pomp, but how would you feel about me getting a flattop with fenders?"

"Do I get to watch?"

"Hell yeah! Watching you watch while I get a haircut is part of the fun of getting haircuts."

I thought, "Haircuts? He’s only got one with me." Then I thought, "Hopefully only one of countless haircuts. Life would be fun with someone who enjoys haircuts. We could encourage each other to greater extremes." I didn’t voice either thought. Instead, I asked, "Can we keep the sideburns?"

"Whatever you want, Babe." He looked at me. "I was hoping you’d say that though. I think I look bitching with them."

"Let’s do it!"

"Thank god tomorrow is haircut day."

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