Chapter 9

Kendry

After my talk with Zale about kink roles and compatibility beyond those roles, I had a lot zooming through my mind. He didn't ask me to spend the night and I didn't ask, either. It was early for us. We were on a different road than the fast life and atmosphere of club mentality.

I'd never fallen for someone before like I felt when I was with Zale. I had always known and believed you could be attracted to someone and have agreeable times with them, but not sure what I believed in beyond that. Like the part where people talked about the feeling of falling in love. Infatuation, yes. And the whole daddy thing was a turn on. But falling in love? It was storybook stuff. I'd had crushes, but that's all they were. Crushes. They went away fast.

I hoped this wasn't just a crush I was feeling with Zale that faded over time. I didn't want anything with Zale to fade. I thought about him all the time. I wanted to be with him all the time. I would be sad if the feelings ended.

Right now, I was rushing around getting ready for another date with him. He said it was an outing and it was secret. He'd asked me if I trusted him, and then he planned it after I said yes.

I felt shaky all over, and giddy, and my little could not be contained. Zale had said to wear light clothes and a swimsuit underneath. Were we going swimming? There was a big community pool at the park, but it was always so crowded. I wasn't sure he would want to take me there.

I jumped around my house and finally ran to face my closet. I had cute pink swim trunks I hoped Zale would appreciate. Over them, I wore my favorite pair of white shorts which showed off my legs. My purple tank top had lace at the edges and was totally femme cute. With my purple plastic Crocs, I was ready.

It was a hot May day and I knew I'd be comfortable, but just in case there might be a breeze where we were going, I grabbed my flowered sweater. With my purse over my shoulder with all the pertinent things I might need inside, I was ready.

Zale texted me when he arrived. I ran to my door and shot outside. I couldn't wait to see him. It had been two days since spaghetti night.

He parked at the curb and got out when I ran up to the car, coming around like a real man on a date and opening the passenger door for me.

"Hi Zale!"

"Hi." He leaned down and gave me a brief hug.

We hadn't done much but hold hands so far, and one hug. This was nice but too short. I wanted to say something but kept my mouth shut.

"You look wonderful," Zale said.

"Thanks. So do you."

He was dressed casual, not his usual leather. Blue jeans and a black tank top. His dark hair shone in the bright sunlight.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm still keeping it a secret."

"We're swimming, right?"

"Good guess. I suppose telling you to wear trunks gave it away."

"Are we going to the pool?"

"Nope. Better."

"Better? The beach?" It was an hour's drive to the beach.

"Hmm. You're pretty smart."

I began to jump up and down. "Really? Are we going to the beach?"

"Maybe."

I let out a high-pitched squeal.

"I picked a weekday so it won't be crowded. I have everything we need in the trunk, including a picnic lunch."

I knew Zale had taken the day off work for this. I didn't feel too guilty about that since he told me he had tons of vacation days and sick leave he rarely took. Plus, he had a great assistant foreman who handled all the sites in person. I had gotten all my work done ahead for today. Working my own hours allowed me to be entirely flexible.

Zale ushered me into the car and shut the door. When he got in, I fumbled with my seatbelt. I was so excited.

"Are we going to body surf and build sandcastles? I know how to swim so you don't have to worry about me.

"We can do all of that."

My little self wanted to explode with glee. An hour's drive seemed like a long time. He wanted to be there now. But time spent alone with Zale was always amazing. I was delirious with joy.

As soon as Zale started the engine, I cried out. "Let's go! Let's go!"

No date of mine had ever taken me to the beach. No daddy had ever mentioned the beach. I hadn't had long relationships at all, and very few shorter ones, but no one had ever guessed it was one of my favorite places in the world. Not until Zale came along.

That made me both elated and nervous. I wanted whatever was happening between us to work out so much that if it didn't I'd be a very sad boy for a very long time.

"I want to make a really big sandcastle, please, with moats and outbuildings. Will you help?"

"I'd love to. I was a great sandcastle artist myself. When I was about five on up to twelve. I haven't made one since. It's about time I did."

"You don't have to help. I can do it. But just you being there will be fun for me."

"But I'd love to help. Warm sand running through the fingers is the best feeling."

"Yeah, but our castle sand will be wet."

His eyebrows furrowed as he made a turn onto the main highway. "That's true. I love both. Wet silt feels like liquid silk. Dry sand that's warm is like a body massage."

"I can't wait until we get there. We can do it all. And play in the water, too."

"I hoped you'd like my plan. It's been too long since I've been to the beach to relax and have fun."

"Me, too." I rubbed my hands together. The seatbelt held me tight as I wiggled. "This is already a fun day."

I clasped my hands together in my lap, squeezing them tight to contain myself. Zale was the best not-daddy ever to think up this wonderful surprise. None of the other supposedly real daddies I knew could hold a candle to his thoughtfulness and personality.

He said he'd wanted change when he walked into the little room at The Red Door. Well, it looked like I was that change.

This felt right. Maybe that meant Zale was the subconscious change I was looking for?

The drive to the beach seemed to take no time at all. Zale was happy to hear my excited chatter. He asked me lots of questions. They were pretty general at first, like what were my favorite sea animals, and had I read any more good stories. I chattered away like I did when I was excited, and when I felt safe. Zale made me feel safe. He wasn't going to laugh at my answers, or my innermost thoughts.

About halfway through the journey, the questions turned more personal. He asked me where I grew up, and about my parents. None of my past dates ever got far enough for them to show they wanted to know me better. It didn't seem to matter to them where I came from. The past child-me was not of any interest. They wanted the little boy kinky me. Which was fine, but like a cold wind on my heart. Whereas Zale was like a warm summer breeze circling.

"I grew up in Dustin. Which is about forty miles from the city."

"I know the area," Zale said. "It's nice."

"My parents were middle class, very religious. Very safe. That is, until I came out to them. Then things changed. They wanted me to go to college, but I already knew the type of work I wanted to do. I took some community college classes and started my own business. I moved out as soon as I turned eighteen."

"Were they okay with that?"

"Not really. We send holiday cards back and forth, but I don't see them and they don't invite me."

"Not even for Christmas?"

"Nope."

Zale's right hand lifted off the steering wheel and grasped my wrist. "I'm sorry to hear that."

I shrugged, then turned my hand over and grasped his. I liked that we'd held hands for so long at his place. His touch made me all floaty.

"What about you?" I asked.

"My mother died when I was very young. My father and I have a decent relationship and I do see him on holidays. He's got a new wife and is happy. He's completely fine with me being gay and into kink. He just asks that I don't get into the details, although sometimes he asks questions. He always prefaces them with ‘out of curiosity, son….' He once said he'd been reading and came across the word throuple. He asked if I have throuples and such in my lifestyle." Zale laughed.

"Well?" I asked.

"Well what?"

"Do you?"

"Hmm. I'm into kink. What do you think?"

"I've never had more than one. Like never an orgy or anything like that." My face heated. Was this too much for us right now? But we were both club members. This sort of talk was not rare.

"So my answer is yes, I've tried a lot of different things," Zale continued.

"You told me you try everything twice just to be sure."

"Yep."

"You're trying out something new with me," I began.

He turned and winked. "Am I?"

I made a face. "Yes." I pushed the word out hard in my most babyish voice.

"That's fair."

I sighed in relief, which startled me because I wasn't nervous at all anymore. Zale was Zale and we liked each other. That was a given. Still, the nervousness fluttered about my insides like mothwings.

"We're outside our kinks, so if I'm your first, there would be a second." It was logical. But I didn't realize what I'd said, and what my words were asking for until I said it. I didn't want this to be a fling. I wanted Zale in my life, coming towards me, not going away.

"You ask hard questions for a youngster." His hand left mine and he softly tickled my chin, then put his hand back on the steering wheel.

"That came out weird."

"I can say that trying everything twice was more about actions, not people. Like bedroom kinks. I can try twice with the same person."

I ducked my head, chagrined. Then looked up at him through my eyelashes. "I got personal real fast. Sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Kendry. We're on the same page. We both want to know each other on deeper levels. You can ask me anything any time, okay?"

"Really?"

"Of course."

My heart warmed. "I think I am comfortable with that."

"You think?"

I nodded vigorously. "I know I am. I wasn't sure about what was okay until I asked."

"Ah, are you looking out for my feelings?"

I nodded again.

"That's sweet and I like it very much."

I could barely breathe. He was flirting with me with words and those deeper thoughts of his. It figured since he liked books, like me, he would be a deep thinker.

Just then, we pulled up to the beach parking lot. This was a beach I'd been to before. But not for years. The parking lot was only half full, which was wonderful. Zale was right to think it would be less crowded on a weekday in May even though it was a warm day.

I got out and immediately the hot sunlight flamed around me. The blue waves rushing with their lace foam against the white sands looked all too inviting. A few people were about, and some groups had towels and chairs on the sand with big umbrellas set up.

Zale went straight to the trunk and opened it. I came around to see what he had. My mouth dropped open. Inside the trunk was a big picnic basket. On top was a stack of blankets and towels. Beside that were the real treasures: a net bag of plastic buckets, little shovels and sandcastle molds. There were also small plastic bags holding blowup toys: a beach ball, a couple of pink and green inner tubes, and a blue raft.

I clapped my hands and jumped up and down. "You thought of everything."

"I tried." Zale leaned in. "It'll probably take us two trips."

I held out my hands. "Load me up."

Zale pushed the towels and blankets aside, opening the basket. "First things first." He reached in and brought out a soft-brimmed hat and plunked it on my head.

I reached up and touched the soft material. "Why did you give me this?"

"I saw it and thought you'd like it."

"I do. But how did you know?"

"Know what?"

"That it's so perfect. That it's something I'd pick out for myself."

"I'm glad to hear I got it right."

"Very right for someone like you."

"Someone like me?"

"Not a daddy."

Zale laughed. "So you're saying I have to be a daddy to accurately figure out what you want?"

"No. You're just psychic a little bit, I think."

Zale laughed and took out another hat. It was dark blue, like a fisherman's hat without the lures hanging from the sides. He put it on his head. It hid his windblown hair and shadowed his pretty blue eyes, which I didn't like. I wanted to see all of him.

"Okay now," Zale said, "hold out your hands and I'll load you up."

I did as he asked, and he set the stack of towels and blankets on my arms. He picked up the picnic basket and said, "Let's go find a spot. I'll come back for the toys."

I followed him into the sand.