Unexpected Angel (20 page)

Wally started giggling.

“OK, Mr. Wally Jackson.  What did I say that was so dad-blamed funny.  I wasn’t trying to be funny.  I am trying to keep you and me out of trouble.  It’s gonna be tough, us two together. What’s gonna happen if
I
start to have feelings
I
don’t how to handle?  Have you ever thought of that?”

Before that time, Wally had never understood Norman’s concerns about them living together.  He assumed Norman had no problems, at all, with it. He spoke gently, “Well, Norman.  We just need to always be on the lookout.  If we start getting temptations we can’t handle, we need to confront them and talk about them, like two sane young men. . . ”

Norman put his arm around Wally. “Mr. Wally, did I ever tell you how sweet and lovable you are?  Man, I would die if I didn’t have you in my life!  I might be the hunk in this arrangement, but you’ve got a personality that just grabs me and hangs on.  Oh, I love you so much!”

Wally rolled his eyes.  His face brightened with a toothy smile.  He let out a playful growl.  Was he getting some tiger in his veins?  He grabbed Norman and held him tight. His lips went after their target. He hadn’t done that before.  Norman had always been the one to initiate the kisses.

Norman got all bug-eyed.  Wait a minute, he thought. I’m the dominant person here.  I’m the protector.  I’m supposed to start the kisses.  Then, his mind changed gears.  You know, Wally’s pretty good at this stuff.  He really loves me.  Norman relaxed.  He closed his eyes and drifted off into the land where daydreams are made.

When they pulled away from their embrace, Norman had a look of enchantment on his face.  “Man alive!  Where on Earth did you learn to kiss like that?”

Wally looked intently at Norman.  “When I’ve got somebody like you in front of me, it just comes natural.  Oh yes, yes it does!”

“Well,” said Norman.  “It looks like I’m not the only hot tamale in this restaurant.  Whee-oh!  We’re gonna be quite a number together, us two.  Yes, we are.  I am a man of my word, Wally Jackson.  I don’t make empty promises.  So, I tell you.  I am willing to hang out around here as long as you want me. 
Oh, man
, I love you!”

Wally gave a sly smile.  “Hey, Norman . . . with all this talk of spare bedrooms and hot tamales . . .well, uh . . . did I actually ask you to move in with me? I can’t remember.”

Norman pretended to be shocked.  “No, but you were thinking it awful hard.  And your eyes--they were dropping hints like confetti at a parade.”

“People might talk about us, you know.”

“Yes, but that’s their problem,” replied Norman.

Then, he changed the subject abruptly.   “Hey. What time are we supposed to be over there, at Sylvia’s, for cake and coffee?”

Wally replied,  “Around seven is what they said.”  He noticed a look of contemplation, perhaps longing, in Norman’s eyes.

Chapter 34

The two walked into the bedroom.  Norman stood on one side of the bed, Wally on the other.  They pulled back the quilted spread, in folds, until they reached the foot of the bed.  As they lifted it and draped it over a large chair, Norman remarked, “You’re the first guy I ever knew that actually made up his bed in the morning.  Most of them just let it stay all mussed up.  Girls, too, for that matter.  Beds don’t get made except in motels.  How come?”

Wally chuckled, “Because I’m different.  My Granny always said I was cut from a finer mold.”  Wally began to pull back the sheets and fluff the pillows.

Norman removed his Sunday duds, piece by piece, right down to his undershorts.  “Well, maybe your Granny was right.  And, maybe that’s why I love you,” said Norman as he slid out of his boxers.  “If you don’t mind, Wally-boy, I am going to take my nap
au naturel
.  It can’t do no harm. I am thinking I might end up that way anyhow, before the afternoon is over.”  Norman sat on the edge of the bed.  He turned to open the drawer of the nightstand with one hand and fished around inside with the other.  He smiled as he got something out of the drawer and placed in under the pillow.  Norman didn’t like running around somebody’s apartment trying to get supplies to keep the love going.  It was like turning on the air conditioner when you wanted things to stay heated up.  He lay back, and covered himself with the sheet and a lightweight cotton blanket.  He looked at Wally.  Passion and bewilderment were mingled on Norman’s face. His voice snapped.  “Don’t stand there looking stupid.  Get the rest of your duds off and get under here with me.  Please!”

Wally gave Norman a sassy look.  He removed his boxers.  “How poetic,” he mused as he slid under the sheet and tugged on the blanket.  Wally didn’t need to turn off the light.  It was the middle of the afternoon.  As for darkening the room, the blinds and drapes just didn’t do it.  That had never been a problem for Wally.  He worked during the day and slept at night.

Norman stuck his face in his pillow.  Then he flung himself over on his back.  “Wally,” he whined, “I can’t get to sleep in the daylight.”

Wally interrupted.  “I thought we didn’t come in here to sleep, like we are just calling it a nap to convince ourselves that it is all right.  I guess we’ll just have to do whatever we do in the daylight.  We’re on the third floor.  It’s not like anybody can see through the window.”

“Yeah, but I have to have dark for all that whatever stuff.  I love you so much man.  I’ve got the major hots for you.  Come up with an answer.  Quick.”

Wally turned to Norman, “Take another look in the drawer of the night stand.  There should be a blindfold way back.  I bought it for Tony when he told me that he might get a night-time job.”

Norman fumbled in the drawer and produced the blindfold.  “Tah, dah!” he trumpeted.  “I’ve heard these things are really sexy.  You’ll have to help me put my hands in all the right places.”

“Well,” said Wally.  “Maybe we shouldn’t be moving things this fast.  If you suddenly changed your mind, and got scared, and walked out on me, I would die a million times over.  I couldn’t take that on top of what happened to Tony.”

“I told you I won’t be walking out on you!” retorted Norman.  “I love you too much.  I’ve been thinking about this, in bits and pieces, for a long time, longer than you might ever imagine.  Even before Tony.  I bet you didn’t know that, did you?”

Wally remained silent.  He lay on his back with his hands folded behind his head, trying to decipher what Norman had just said. Before Tony? he thought.  How could that be unless Norman fell for me when we first started working together?  I wonder if it was meant for Norman and me to begin with, and Tony got in the way.  Or did God know what would happen with Tony, and put Norman in my life?  Most likely, God is the only one who can answer that.  One thing
I
know for sure. I’ve had the hots for Norman since I met him.  But, not in my wildest imaginings did I think I would ever be beside him in bed.

Norman adjusted his blindfold.  He moved slowly to Wally’s side, just short of being on top.  He propped himself up on his left elbow next to Wally’s arm.  He moved his right leg across Wally’s thigh and let his knee come to rest between Wally’s legs.  Wally cooed as he felt Norman’s body brushing against his skin.

Norman inched his face upward until he could feel Wally’s breath.  He explored with his tongue, gently licking Wally’s chin, his cheeks, the end of his nose, until the tip of Norman’s tongue came to rest on the edge of Wally’s lip.

Aren’t these blindfolds absolutely wild? he thought. If I lick or touch in the wrong place, I can always cover for it by blaming it on the blindfold.

Wally emitted low sighs as Norman’s tongue slowly lapped its way around the edges of his lips.  He savored Norman’s ardent breath.  Wally’s mind blazed with desire as Norman’s tongue moved past his lips and teeth and strained to explore the inside of his mouth, polishing and currying his tongue, blending watermelon and cinnamon flavors into a sensuous mixture.  Wally purred as Norman probed so far that his lips rested on Wally’s face, massaging it deliberately and rhythmically. Wally’s mind melted as Norman’s hand traced its way along the lines of Wally’s body, and Norman’s fingers found a place where they could linger a while.  Wally lost his ability to think, or reason, or compare.  Bolts of overpowering delight shot and bounced through his head.  Wally was being loved–by a man–a sensuous hunk.  And, all that was asked, in return, was for Wally to love him back.

Norman pulled away from Wally’s face and slowly removed his fingers from the place they had visited.  But, before Norman had a chance to turn over, Wally gave him a playful push.  It seemed like slow motion as the glorious hunk disengaged himself from Wally and rolled flat on his back.

Seizing the opportunity, Wally flung the covers out of the way and changed his position until he was on his knees facing Norman.  “Grrrrrrr,” he growled playfully.

Norman giggled.  “Help me, help me,” he yelled in a falsetto voice.

Wally smiled. He chanted, drawing out the words.  “Popsicle. Popsicle.”

“Oh, no!” wailed Norman, barely able to keep from giggling.

“Oh, yes!” chimed Wally. He moved swiftly toward Norman’s waist and pounced.

Norman groaned like someone being punched in the tummy, and losing his breath.  Then he relaxed.  His body squirmed slowly from side to side, grinding his hips into the mattress.  A long, barely audible, murmur, was punctuated with soft squeals of delight.

When Wally stopped for a moment. Norman ripped away the blindfold and hopped upon his knees.  He placed his hands around Wally’s chest.  He spoke softly, yet firmly, “OK, sweet guy.  It’s time, now.”

Norman didn’t need to explain himself.  Wally knew what was next.  His heart began to beat faster as he lay on his back, looking at Norman who was beside him, still on his knees, bouncing playfully on the mattress, stroking himself.    He spoke to Wally in a reassuring manner,  “It will be all right, little buddy.  I’ll be gentle.  If it doesn’t work this time, we can keep practicing.  I promise.” He looked at Wally.  He looked at himself.  Oh my, I hope I don’t hurt him.  Speaking again, he said, “OK, Wallykins.  Turn on your side facing away from me.  It will be easier for you.”  Norman knew not to force himself.  He loved his friend too much to hurt him.

**********

As the alarm clock sounded, Norman woke from his nap and moved over to shut it off.  “I guess it’s time for us to get cleaned up and go have chocolate cake.”  He hovered over Wally and kissed the side of his cheek.  “I am going to take a shower now.  Do you want to soap up with me.”   Wally didn’t answer. “Hey, buddy, are you all right?”  quizzed Norman.

Wally mumbled as if he were half in a dream.  “Sure, I’m fine.  I just want to lay here on my side and think about you.  You go ahead and take your shower.  I
am
all right–more than all right.”

A few minutes later the shower was running and Norman was singing opera.  Wally smiled.  I have my own resident hot-blooded hunk, he thought.  He can sing opera and show tunes; he drives me wild with his kisses; he makes love to me.  Now, all I need is to teach him how to make beds and cook.  I am one lucky dude. . . . I wonder what the big deal is about two guys getting it on.  Norman was in ecstasy. I was in pain.  Maybe it’s knowing that I belong to someone, and he will look after me.

Chapter 35

By nine o’clock, the two had returned from Sylvia Hunnicutt’s. They had feasted on Dotty’s delightful chocolate cake, and savored a cup of gourmet coffee with a shot of brandy.  The evening had been nice, but they were glad to be back at the apartment.  Until the past few days, Norman had been only a friend and a work buddy.  Now, he was Wally’s lover.  Norman was the ultra-straight guy who had just gone around a few curves. He had become infatuated with Wally’s lips as something more kissable than a girl.  He was the legendary stud who had traded his customary lovemaking for a torrid scene with a guy. He was the one who took Wally as his prize, and left him wanting to be taken again.

Wally’s desire was to live and breathe Norman Gómez. Total immersion is what they call it in foreign language classes.  That was it, Wally would learn all of Norman’s habits, his idiosyncrasies, his nuances, and his irregularities just as he would learn a language.