Chapter 2

John woke up with Frank's morning wood poking him in the lower back. Before he could move away, Frank stretched and yawned.

"Mornin'," Frank grumbled and gave John's thigh a friendly pat.

"Hey," John said, unsure of what to do. The idea of snuggling was out of the question, but Frank took matters in hand when his fingers slid forward to grasp John's semi-erect shaft.

"Looks like we got the same problem," he chuckled and pushed his cock harder against John's back. "Lemme help you out." It wasn't exactly a suggestion as he began to stroke slowly from balls to tip. The sensation made him push back a little, encouraging Frank to rub himself against John's back and ass.

"Fuck," John whispered as he felt teeth against his shoulder biting him as Frank pulled and released. Eventually a bit of precum made it out allowing Frank's hand to slide along his head. Soon the feeling was as fine a hand job as he'd ever gotten.

Frank moved down to slide between John's ass cheeks and pushed harder. Not to penetrate, just to rub along in between, dripping his own precum along the way to slip and slide more easily.

John began to hold his breath as the rough stubble scratched his back. The slick hand surrounding his cock and the slippery trail between his cheeks made John's flesh prickle. He pushed back against the thrusts as they found a rhythm that worked them both.

"Oh, man," Frank moaned as he wet John's back with his throbbing finish. Still working his hand up and down John's shaft, he whispered, "Are you gonna cum?"

Like he'd cast a magic spell, John erupted as the moving hand pumped for the last drops. They fell silent then, panting together in the quiet room. John resisted the temptation to relax against Frank's chest, feeling it would make things more awkward than they already were.

Frank took deep breaths, then rolled on his back to sigh deeply. "I wonder if Lily was serious about meeting us for breakfast."

The abrupt change of topic prompted John to sit up slowly on the edge of Frank's bed. The cooling liquid that dribbled down his back was distracting, so he grabbed the tangled sheets to wipe it off. "Only one way to find out."

"I'm gonna shower," Frank said, but there was no invitation in the statement. He got up and went to get clothes out of the dresser.

"Go ahead. I gotta check email and touch base with my client." John couldn't get a read on Frank at all. One second he was initiating things, the next he was talking about meeting Lily for breakfast.

And worst was the memory of that hot kiss the night before. John did it, but it wasn't a planned thing. Everything was confusing and fucked up now. He didn't know how to act or what the feel about the situation.

Getting on his computer, John scanned his email and then put it aside. It was only an excuse anyway. After the kiss the night before they'd sat around playing video games naked until John fell asleep waiting for his turn. They hadn't discussed the sleeping arrangements, let alone dealing with their morning wood.

By the time Frank was out of the shower, John decided to cool things off with Frank. It was too complicated, too strange, and too confusing to deal with on what was supposed to be a relaxing vacation. He grabbed some clothes and went into the bathroom while Frank dressed in the room.

He was still in the shower when Frank walked in and started to shave. As John drew the curtain back he saw Frank giving him a funny look in the mirror.

"What?" John asked as he dried his hair and body.

"It's weird, that's all."

"What's weird?" He failed to keep the defensive tone out of his question.

Frank rinsed his razor before turning to him. "You know I'm not gay, right?"

"Yeah," John answered with a shrug. "Neither am I."

"But you asked to come in the shower with me." It was almost an accusation. Frank stepped closer. "And you started suckin' my dick first last night."

"And woke me up with a handy this morning and came on my back," John growled in return.

The two men stood close together, staring in each other's eyes. It felt so much like the beginning of a school yard fight that John clenched his hands into fists.

"Never mind." Frank turned away, his face flushed as he abruptly left the bathroom.

John finished getting ready while Frank sat at the small table near the window typing furiously on his laptop. The mood between them had shifted completely in just moments. John couldn't shake his disappointment, despite his decision to cool things off.

"You coming down for breakfast?" John asked with a mild tone, trying to defuse the tension between them.

"Yeah," Frank said and shut the laptop after he finished typing. "Sorry about that."

John met his eyes and nodded. "We're cool."

"It's just ... I don't know what to do. Or say. I hate feeling this way."

"So we cool it then. No biggie." John schooled his face to keep from showing the discomfort he felt saying those words.

"Good. Let's go see if Lily is really down there." His eyes sparkled as he returned to familiar territory.

They were dressed for the slopes when the went into the dining room. Frank scanned the room and spotted Lily sitting alone wearing a similar insulated outfit. Leading the way, Frank called her name when they got closer and she smiled to see them approach.

"I was hoping I'd see you down here!" She stood and gave both men a kiss on the cheek. "Join me!"

"So how'd it go last night?" John asked as he flagged the waitress down.

"Laundry took forever and she snores like a god damned avalanche. Oh my God, I wish I could leave early, but I'd have to pay too much to change the ticket."

"The offer is still open if you want to spent the last couple of nights with us," Frank offered without a glance at John. When they'd met Lily the night before, John had been impressed with Frank's cool demeanor, but now he seemed nervous and pushy.

The waitress came over to take their orders, delaying Lily's response. When she left to get their coffees, Lily said, "I don't want to put you guys out."

"It's no big deal," Frank assured her. "We'll help you move your stuff in after we finish breakfast." Lily didn't seem to pick up on his desperation.

John watched their playful banter, but couldn't seem to muster the energy to join in. He kept a smile on his face and nodded along with the conversation, but his heart wasn't in it. His mind kept playing a loop of taking Frank's cock in his mouth, of kissing him with beer on his breath. It had gotten into his head and was throwing him off his game completely.

When breakfast was over, Lily led them back to her room to get her things. The roommate was gone, but the room was an utter wreck, with clothes strewn all over. Lily had all her clothes in her suitcases and pulled them out for Frank and John to roll for her.

"You were already packed?" Frank asked with a grin. "How'd you know we'd meet you for breakfast?"

"I didn't, but I always look for the positive. And I'm positive we're going to have a wonderful few days together." Lily grabbed the smallest bag and her purse to follow them both out the door.

When they got back to their room, John realized the mistake they'd just made. There was only one bed turned down and slept in. His bed was still made up with his laptop sitting on it. Lily looked at the beds, then glanced back at them with a questioning look.

"So what did you boys do after I left?" she asked with an arched tone.

"Video games and beer," Frank said, pointing to the bottles and video game controllers on the night stand between the beds.

She blinked at his answer and asked, "Who makes their bed when they stay in a hotel?"

Frank blushed a deep red as he lifted her bag and placed it on the end of the neat bed. "This is John's bed." He didn't lie, but he didn't really answer her question.

"It's none of my business. Look, if I'm intruding on you guysâ€""

"You're not fucking intruding," Frank growled, then composed himself quickly. "Sorry, it's nothing, you're welcome to stay in here with us. Seriously."

John stood by watching the whole thing trying to keep his face neutral. Lily seemed extremely uncomfortable and Frank was clearly about to panic because she'd figured out they'd slept together. He needed to say something to fill the growing silence.

"Look, we're all away from our regular lives. No one knows us here and we don't know each other very well. I'll never see either one of you again after one more day, so how about whatever happens in this room, stays in this room. No questions, no judgement, no remorse."

Lily gave John a penetrating look after he spoke, then nodded slowly. "I had a wild phase in college. My best friend and I were lovers for about a year. I'm glad we did it, but no one in my life knows but her. No one." She looked to Frank with a thin smile and nodded to encourage him. "It's okay."

"After you left," Frank said, then paused to take a deep breath. "John ... I ... we never ... I mean, neither one of us had..."

"It's okay," she said and crossed the room to touch his arm. "You don't have to explain if you don't want to."

Frank clenched his jaw. "It was a mistake. It's over anyway."

"Okay, then, let's go skiing." Lily put on a bright smile and led the way.

John followed them out feeling gutted, but couldn't say why. I wanted to cool things off, didn't I?

All day long he felt like the third wheel with Frank and Lily getting along so well. He sat alone on the ski lift behind the two of them, followed them down the mountain, and by the end of the day was wallowing in self-pity.

Lily noticed at times and tried to include him, but Frank kept an entertaining banter going he drew her attention back. For his part, Frank would answer direct questions John asked, but never initiated any conversation with him. It lasted until dinner, when John finally had enough.

"You two go on, I'm not hungry. I'll just grab a drink in one of the bars."

"No, you can't leave us now!" Lily insisted, but he noticed Frank had a tiny smirk. "Come on and have a drink at the table. Please? For me?"

"No," he said as gently as he could. "You guys have a good meal. I'll probably turn in early, but don't worry, you won't bother me."

The prospect of a threesome with Lily was no longer the entertaining prospect it had been. Frank had already turned away to tell the hostess there would only be two for dinner. Lily stepped closer to John and took his arm so only he could hear.

"I'm sorry it got weird between you two. You guys seemed like you were having so much fun yesterday."

"Yeah," John shrugged and tried to smile. "Live and learn."

"I'll see you after dinner," she said with a determined look.

Leaving them there, he wandered around until he heard music playing. Someone was playing old jazz standards on a piano, so John followed the sounds until he found an old guy wearing a black turtleneck. He was seated at a keyboard made to look like a tiny grand piano. Behind him was a drum set and guitar. There was no one else in this little corner of the hotel, so John got a beer from the bar and made his way over to sit at a table nearby.

Listening to the old man play put his head on autopilot and stopped him from thinking for a while. After a couple of more beers, he found himself humming along to the tunes he knew, his fingers twitching to follow the chord progressions in his head. For the first time since things got weird with Frank, John finally felt like he was comfortable in his own skin again.

When the old guy wound up a song, he lifted his chin and said, "You look like you know how to play."

"Guitar," John said. "Years ago."

"Ya never forget," the old man said. "I'm Tom. Wanna sit in? Nobody's here anyway but you and me." He gestured to an old hollow body Gibson in a stand next to a small amp. It had a pale yellow finish and the kind of patina that only comes from a lifetime of regular use and loving care.

"That's too fine an axe for my skills. Seriously, I haven't picked one up in years."

"My brother played that, God rest him," Tom said. "It's been too long sitting quiet. Guitars are meant to be played. Go on, tune it up."

Sitting on a stool next to Tom, John slid the wide leather strap over his head and flicked the switch on the amp. Tuning the ivory pegs against the piano, he soon had the strings right again. The sound was mellow and rich, just like he knew it would be. John looked to see what song Tom had his fake-book turned to on his stand.

"Since I fell for you?" John asked to confirm their song.

Tom switched to an old '70s Rhodes sound and began playing the introduction.

"Hey," John asked with surprise. "Is that the version from Double Vision?"

"Yeah, I love Bob James," the old man said with a smile and swing the mic over between them. "If you wanna sing it, you can."