Andy spread them to about eight inches. "Bigger than that?"

Eddie squinted at Andy's fingers and then nodded.

Andy's eyes widened. He spread his hands farther still. "Um. Wow. I'd say that in my experience, you are larger than average." His body ached to be filled, and he had the feeling that he'd be searching for his largest toy when Eddie left later.

With a sigh, Eddie shrugged. "I'm six-four, Andy. It's proportional. Mostly."

"Can I?" Andy literally had to bite his lip to keep from asking if he could see it.

Eddie froze for a moment and then forced himself to relax again. "You sure we're not getting into that 'personal' area? Don't want you saying I teased you overly much or something."

Andy rolled his eyes, relieved that Eddie was joking about this. "Hey, you brought it up. This entire conversation has been nothing but personal, anyway."

Eddie suddenly looked a little shy. "Well, yeah, for me, maybe. I've always wondered if it was really all because of me, or if she was just...." He shrugged.

"You are a little large," Andy confirmed, "but nothing that someone can't take. Even a woman. It just takes a little trial and error. Adjustments and let's-try-this-again type scenarios."

"But I'm not like obscenely large?" Eddie was really unsure how they'd gotten to talking about this, but it was a real sore point from his divorce, and someone realistically hinting that it wasn't all his fault was really a tempting relief.

"Well, I don't know from personal experience how large you are, but I'd say no. That you're not obscenely large. Well-endowed, yes, but I would have thought that to be a plus. Was she pet.i.te? Or was there a problem with her?"

Eddie snorted and shook his head. "h.e.l.l no. She was taller than you, a farm girl, used to manual labor." He sighed and tugged at his jeans a little. "That's why I pretty much thought she must have been right."

"Can I show you something else? And will you promise not to let it offend you?" Andy rose from the chair, stubbing the toe of his shoe into the carpet.

Eddie stepped forward to catch Andy and help him regain his balance before he cracked a smile. "You'll warn me if you're dropping your pants, right?"

"Not gonna drop my pants." Andy grinned, leading Eddie into his bedroom. He opened his bottom nightstand drawer and stepped back. "My favorite," he murmured shyly. Hidden in the drawer was a ten-inch phallus. "Sorry. But I just wanted you to know that some people would kill for-," he gestured toward Eddie, "-for that."

Eddie's eyes got really big as he looked from the phallus, to Andy, to Andy's a.s.s, to his own groin. Several times. Then he got what Andy was saying, and he blushed heavily. "Thanks," he murmured, still eyeing the phallus curiously.

Andy broke into nervous giggles just then. "I guess this is veering a little into the personal category of conversation, isn't it?"

Eddie blinked. "Not any more personal than asking to see my c.o.c.k. For purely clinical purposes, of course."

"I did not ask to see it." Andy was adamant. "I was going to, but I stopped myself."

Eddie raised an eyebrow, as if he were saying Surrrre. Surrrre.

Andy rolled his eyes and walked away, leaving Eddie in the room. "Better not stay in there all by yourself. I have it programmed to attack."

Eddie looked back at the phallus in the drawer, eyes narrowing, and then he looked at his own pants before following Andy back out to the front room.

THE bell above the door tinkled as Andy pushed it open and stuck his head inside the blessedly air-conditioned store. "Hey, Rosey," he greeted Eddie's daughter. "Dad here?" She nodded and snapped her gum before going back to her magazine with that young British heartthrob who was so popular lately on the cover. "He's in the back," she murmured, motioning toward the vegetable section. bell above the door tinkled as Andy pushed it open and stuck his head inside the blessedly air-conditioned store. "Hey, Rosey," he greeted Eddie's daughter. "Dad here?" She nodded and snapped her gum before going back to her magazine with that young British heartthrob who was so popular lately on the cover. "He's in the back," she murmured, motioning toward the vegetable section.

Eddie whistled tunelessly as he unpacked fresh vegetables and fruit, stacking them on the wooden shelves under the misters. He dropped another empty box on the floor and opened the next, stopping to stare down at the contents with a funny look on his face.

Andy sauntered around the corner just in time to see Eddie's expression as he peered into a box. He stepped closer and smiled when he saw the contents. "See anything of comparable size?"

Eddie glanced up in surprise, face flushing as he clapped the top back on the box, nearly smashing his own fingers. "Hi, Andy." He smiled awkwardly, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Hi, Eddie." Andy tugged at the box, pulling the lid back open. "I was just going to get some cuc.u.mbers. I was hoping you'd have some fresh meat, um, produce for me to check out."

Eddie couldn't hide his grin as he half-covered his eyes and pulled the top out of Andy's hands. "Yeah, all the deliveries came in today," Eddie said, trying not to laugh. "Produce, meat, and other perishables."

"Mom gave me a recipe for refrigerator pickles. I need about six abnormally large cuc.u.mbers, and seeing as how you're the expert, I thought you could help me with that."

"Andy!" Eddie shushed him, face flaming, trying not to laugh, looking across the area at some ladies choosing melons.

Seeing a ripe opportunity for teasing, Andy pretended to kneel. "Please, Eddie! I'll get down on my knees for you."

Eddie's eyes bulged, and he grabbed Andy, pulling him up from where he started to crouch and shuffling him off to the back storeroom.

"Awww," Andy pretended to whine and pout as Eddie strong-armed him. "Are you ashamed of me, baby?"

Eddie half-growled as he closed the storeroom door and dissolved into snorts and totally unmanly giggles. "You b.a.s.t.a.r.d. I have to work here! And that's Pastor Wilkins' wife!"

Andy leaned back on a cooler. "And you're telling me that you go to church every Sunday? Front and center? Do you have your own personalized hymnal?" He c.o.c.ked an eyebrow as he crossed his arms. "Because if you do, I'll go out there now and repent of my sins, just for you."

Eddie snorted. "You gonna get down on your knees in front of her?" Although he certainly looked much better on his knees in front of Eddie.

Once again, Andy dropped to his knees. "Like this?" He looked up at Eddie and wet his lips. "You think this would work? I can beg real pretty."

Eddie's eyes got really big. "Uh, pretty, uh.... Aw, h.e.l.l, Andy, get up. You can have whatever groceries you want."

Andy rose to his feet. "Just teasing you, buddy. Actually, I'm glad you brought me back here." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively. "You remember our first dinner a couple months ago? I was actually going to ask if you'd give me directions to that 'one decent gay club' in town you mentioned."

Eddie flushed again when Andy mentioned the club. "Ah, sure, I could do that." He paused, thinking about his plans for the evening.

"I mean, I've been thinking about maybe heading out, seeing if I can meet anyone. It's great here, but it's so quiet up there all by myself." He sighed, referring to the cabin at the lake. "I need companionship." He looked at Eddie. "Not that your friendship isn't enough, but... well, a cuc.u.mber is no subst.i.tute for living, breathing flesh." He grinned.

"Yeah, I can understand that. You've been here a while now." Eddie shrugged. "Well, I have to go into town later. You could follow me, and I'll just drive you by. That would be easier than trying to give you directions." He smiled lopsidedly. "And since I don't want you abusing the produce...."

Andy started to push past Eddie. "Sure, that'd work, unless I could convince you to go with me?" He stopped and straightened Eddie's collar. "You'd look good in leather."

Eddie blinked hard. "I would?" he asked before he thought about it. He lightly punched Andy's arm. His friend had been mercilessly teasing him for weeks now. He'd certainly learned a h.e.l.l of a lot more about s.e.x than he ever thought existed.

"Yeah. Tight in the a.s.s and long on the legs. Black. Snug. I can see you in leather." Andy blinked as he realized he could could see Eddie in leather. That he see Eddie in leather. That he wanted wanted to see Eddie in leather. to see Eddie in leather.

In a usual reaction, Eddie's eyebrows edged upward and he looked down at his casual khakis and plaid shirt. "Well," he said slowly. "I guess we could go shopping."

"You'd let me take you shopping?" Andy was surprised.

"Sure. I mean, well, yeah." Eddie shrugged. "I couldn't tell you the last time I bought clothes. I'd certainly never considered leather pants."

"They're not practical," Andy warned. He moved his hands to Eddie's rear. "They're a little snug here here." He gripped Eddie's pants, pulling them tight to his body.

Eddie swallowed hard. He'd learned right away that Andy was a touchy-feely kind of guy, and when you were his friend, you got touched and felt a lot. In a good way, of course. He swallowed again. "You're the one who mentioned it. I guess jeans would be okay."

Andy leaned close, deliberately tweaking Eddie. "But you'd be hot in them."

Sighing, Eddie favored Andy with a fond look. "We'll see what we find. There's all sorts of stores on Northfield Road. It's sort of the bohemian area of town. Dance clubs, bars, shops, that sort of thing."

"And you haven't told me of this before... why?" Andy reached up and tucked a stray hair behind Eddie's ear, letting his finger linger along the sh.e.l.l.

"Told you what?" Eddie asked blankly. Andy's closeness was distracting. Very distracting. Very distracting. He felt his face warming again. He felt his face warming again.

"Of the bohemian part of town? I think I'd like it there." Andy stepped back a little, knowing when he'd teased Eddie enough.

Eddie swallowed and shook his head. "Oh. I guess it didn't come up. You hadn't asked before now."

Andy forced himself to detach from the situation as a vulnerable look crossed Eddie's face. All too often lately he'd been imagining ways he could make Eddie smile. All too often. All too often.

Glancing at the clock, Eddie gathered his thoughts. "It's closing time. I need to go lock up. You want to go and get your car? Or I can just give you directions."

"I think I'd like very much if you would show me where it is." Andy smiled, excited to have a chance to actually go out with Eddie, even if it wasn't a real date.

Eddie grinned. "Sure. I'd be happy to." He opened the door to the storeroom and almost ran into Rosemarie with the money bag. "Oh, thanks, Rosey."

Andy's face lit up. "Hey, Rosey. I've been looking for you and your friends to come up and swim some day. Keep an old man like me company."

Rosemarie grinned. "Sure, Andy! Ballet cla.s.ses finish next week, and we were just talking about going swimming!"

"Just be sure you let him know a day ahead of time," Eddie said with an indulgent smile.

"Yeah. I'm hoping to find a date tonight, so you best call ahead," Andy teased. "You know that you wouldn't want to pop in on old Dad if he's on a date, so I don't think you'd like popping in on me either."

Rosemarie giggled. "Dad with a date?" She giggled some more. "I'm off to Katie's. Lucy's already there. I'll see you Sunday, Dad." She hugged Eddie around the waist.

"Have a good time, Rosey." Eddie kissed her on the head and took the money bag, and she ran out the door.

Eddie sighed and locked the door behind her, taking a moment to bury the pain her offhand comment caused before he turned around to look at Andy.

Andy lifted an eyebrow. "This is Friday? And you're alone until Sunday? Whatever will you do with your time?" His voice took on a serious tone as he saw the pain in Eddie's eyes. He stepped close again and brought a hand to Eddie's face. "Are you sure you're up to this tonight? We can go back to my place. Have some wine. Watch a movie."

Eddie frowned and shrugged, looking more discouraged than anything. "I don't know. Maybe I'm not such good company." He moved to the register and pulled out some paper and a pen. "I'll just write out the directions and you'll be set."

Andy sighed and leaned on the counter. "But I'd like you to come too, Eddie. Even if you just sit there like a knot on a log, I'd like to have you there."

"You're sure?" Eddie asked quietly, pen held tightly in one hand. He looked up at Andy and wished he knew how to tell the other man what his friendship meant to him. So much. So much. So much. If spending some time with him was all Andy wanted, he'd certainly give it. If spending some time with him was all Andy wanted, he'd certainly give it.

"I'm sure." Andy had never been more sure of anything, except that he wanted Eddie. On second thought, how could he spend a night in Eddie's company without letting his growing feelings for the other man slip?

Eddie broke into a happy smile. He might not have anything else, but he had a great friend. "Great. If you want to head home, I'll be there in an hour, and you can follow me to town."

Andy nodded, smiling. "Okay. An hour." He backed toward the door. "See you then."

EDDIE stopped his truck in front of Andy's cabin and shut it off, looking down at his clothes. He'd searched out the one pair of black pants he had, dress pants, really, and wore them with a plain white b.u.t.ton-up shirt tucked in, a couple b.u.t.tons undone and the sleeves rolled up. He'd wanted to look nice, although he wasn't examining why too closely. Most of the evenings that he and Andy had hung out he'd just worn old cords and a slouchy shirt, the better to hide his traitorous body's reactions to Andy's teasing. He sighed, remembering the night Andy made him watch some gay p.o.r.n, just for educational purposes, of course. With a soft groan he got out of the truck and adjusted himself before walking up to the cabin. His body was starting to remind him of how he reacted to showering with the guys after high school football games. stopped his truck in front of Andy's cabin and shut it off, looking down at his clothes. He'd searched out the one pair of black pants he had, dress pants, really, and wore them with a plain white b.u.t.ton-up shirt tucked in, a couple b.u.t.tons undone and the sleeves rolled up. He'd wanted to look nice, although he wasn't examining why too closely. Most of the evenings that he and Andy had hung out he'd just worn old cords and a slouchy shirt, the better to hide his traitorous body's reactions to Andy's teasing. He sighed, remembering the night Andy made him watch some gay p.o.r.n, just for educational purposes, of course. With a soft groan he got out of the truck and adjusted himself before walking up to the cabin. His body was starting to remind him of how he reacted to showering with the guys after high school football games.

Andy heard the car pull up in front of his cabin, and then silence as an engine was turned off. He ran his fingers through his hair as he pulled the door open, leaning against the frame and offering a welcoming smile. "You look very nice."

Hunching a shoulder and offering a half-smile, Eddie shrugged. "I wasn't sure what we'd end up doing. You may be ready to head off once I show you where the club is, so...." He trailed off.

Andy knew he wouldn't be sending Eddie off. He knew he'd do whatever it took to keep Eddie with him. "Do you dance?"

Eddie figured he looked like the proverbial deer in the headlights. "I did in college, but nothing since then." He shook his head.

"I can give you a refresher course," Andy beckoned Eddie inside. "If you want me to."

"A refresher course?" Eddie stepped inside, following Andy. "Seriously, the last time I danced was at my wedding." He followed Andy into the living room.

"It's like f.u.c.king," Andy said expansively. "Your body never forgets."

"Okay. Think about what I've told you about my wife and how that comment applies to me. As in not much," Eddie muttered good-naturedly. Talking with Andy over the past few weeks about his failed marriage had helped him get over some of his sore spots.

Andy turned to the sound system, putting on some high-tempo, low-beat music. Almost techno, but not quite. Similar to what you'd find in any club. He stood in front of Eddie, putting his hands on the other man's hips. "Roll 'em."

"Roll 'em." Eddie repeated woodenly. "Uh?" He shifted his hips slightly back and forth.

"No. Like this." He stepped behind Eddie, pressing his hips against the taller man's frame. "The patented Parker hip roll."

Eddie let Andy move his hips, settling pretty quickly into the hip roll, showing remarkable grace for a man his size. "Like this?" He kept it up, matching the music.

"Yeah. Keep your limbs loose. Don't lock your joints. Let the beat move you."

Eddie thought about that for a moment and then got an idea. He relaxed, going loose all of a sudden and moving with the beat fairly well, hips swiveling slowly, eyes mostly closed.

Andy glanced up at Eddie, eyes narrowing as he saw the sensual way Eddie's body moved. He stepped away as his c.o.c.k began to fill. "Looks to me like you still have it." He turned the music off and made a show of turning lights off. "Ready?"

Eddie stopped still. "Reminded me of doing a Hula-hoop," he said, shrugging a bit and smiling as he headed for the door.

Andy stopped near the door to Eddie's truck. "Should I drive too? Or do we want to ride together?"

"I was going to show you where the club was. You might want your car later, you know, since you're going to meet someone," Eddie reminded him quietly.

Andy chafed at the gentle reminder of his earlier professed plans. "Oh yeah. Well, lead the way."

Eddie felt a little disappointed, but nodded and got into the truck. About forty minutes later, he pulled into one of the parking lots that dotted Northfield Road, and he watched Andy park a couple s.p.a.ces down. It was early for a Friday, so easy parking. He climbed out and pocketed his keys, waiting for Andy.

Andy climbed out of his car, stuffing his ID and some cash in his pocket, as well as his keys. He met Eddie on the sidewalk. "So this is it, then?"