The Gardener (Part 7)

[Reeza]

Author's Note: I don't think I can repeat this too often: I really appreciate all of your comments and thanks. I feel lucky to have such appreciative readers.

The story continues on Saturday morning of the Memorial Day weekend.


The Gardener
by Reeza

Parts 1 and 2 : Part 3 : Part 4 : Part 5 : Part 6

Part 7

The next day I woke up to the sound of a lawnmower and the revelation of morning sunlight. I rolled out of bed and stretched my naked body, then ran my hands down my torso to see how flabby I felt. I did this every morning. I padded over to the bay window and cautiously peered through the sheer curtains. Sam was mowing the lawn, shirtless. Sigh. Because it was still Spring, most of his skin was the color of creamy pink marble. His arms had a light golden glow below the lines where his t-shirt sleeves would have ended. I allowed myself to notice the dark trail of hair that bisected the front of his torso. I looked down at my swelling penis and whispered, "You're gonna get some severe beatings this weekend!" I walked toward the shower to begin the punishment.

I decided to cut loose and wear shorts and a t-shirt for the first time that season. After eating my breakfast of high fiber cereal and low fat yogurt, I cautiously emerged from the house, hoping I wouldn't . . . "AAGH!!" Sam had appeared quickly around the corner of the house and slammed into me! He caught me before I fell backwards and held me by the shoulders. My face was coated with a slick of sweat that had been transferred from his naked chest. I was so startled I couldn't speak.

"Oh my God Adam I'm so sorry! I didn't know you were out here! Are you okay?"

"Uhhh." I was able to stand on my own. I instinctively rubbed my face with my hands and wiped them on my shirt."

"Oh! That's disgusting! I got my sweat all over you! Here! Wipe your face!" He handed me the dry t-shirt that had been hanging out of his back pocket. I wiped my face with it and handed it back to him. He raised his arms to put it on, giving me another quick view of his sculpted, v-shaped torso before he covered himself. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine! You just startled me. I wasn't . . . I didn't . . ."

"I just took my shirt off so I wouldn't have a farmer's tan all Summer and I was gonna . . ."

"That's fine. Don't worry about it. You should be comfortable . . . "

"I'm so embarrassed!"

"Don't be! Really. You live here, too. Just make yourself at home." I took a deep breath and exhaled, ready to move on. I closed my eyes to calm myself, then spoke again. "So! We're going to Dave's Nursery this morning to pick up a load of stuff. Are you ready?"

"Do you mind if I take a quick shower and grab some breakfast before we head out? Twenty minutes, tops!"

"That's fine. Go ahead." He took off like a shot and bounded up the stairs of the coach house. He moved quickly for a guy that size. I held my hands to my face to smell them. No odor. I pulled the front of my shirt up to my nose and inhaled. Nothing unpleasant. I smelled it again. And one more time. Then I ran my tongue around the outside of my mouth.

When Sam came bouncing down the stairs a short while later, he was wearing a different t-shirt and shorts. His hair was wet, but neatly combed, and he had a handsome stubble on his face. When he smiled and said, "Ready!" I noticed some kind of white powder on his chin. I pointed to it and said, "You've got something there . . ."

He touched his chin and looked at his hand. "Oops. That's powdered sugar." He licked his fingers and rubbed his face. "Is it gone?"

"Yeah, I think so. Powdered sugar?"

"I had doughnuts for breakfast." He looked at the ground.

"Doughnuts? Seriously?" I shook my head.

"C'mon, Adam. They're good. I like doughnuts, okay? Don't hassle me."

"Hey, it's your life! I'm not your Mom."

"Well you were startin' to sound like her." He raised his eyebrows and smiled.

I smiled back. We were comfortable together again. I gestured toward my vehicle. "Shall we go?"

Contrary to my Toyota Camry personality, I drove a small pickup truck because I was always hauling around plants and gardening supplies. However, it never seemed as small as it did with Sam in the passenger seat. He moved the seat all the way back to accommodate his long legs, then rested his right arm on the sill of the open window. I looked at my exposed legs, then at his, and felt my testicles shrink. I scolded myself: Why did you wear shorts?!

"Where are we headed, again?" he asked, enjoying the rush of air through the window.

"Dave's Nursery. I've been going there since I was a teenager. I think it's the best in town and Dave is good at finding the kind of plants I like. That's where I got the lilac, all the clematis, my hydrangea. That reminds me, I want to tell him I finally have buds on that peony. I got that from him, too. He's a good guy."

"He must be if you like him." He was smiling when he said this.

"What does that mean?"

"I'm just saying . . . you're . . . particular. You don't warm up easily. Nothing wrong with that - just an observation." Still smiling.

I had no response. It was the truth.

We pulled into the parking area in front of Dave's. Memorial Day weekend is one of the busiest of the year for garden centers, so it was packed. That's why I always placed my order in advance. We got out of the truck and headed towards the entrance. Dave saw me coming and waved. No matter how busy he was, Dave always took time to talk with me.

"Adam! Where have you been? You're usually bugging the hell out of me by this time of year!"

I smiled and shook his hand. "I thought I'd give you a break, so I've been shopping at Home Depot instead."

He put on an angry look. "You better be kidding! I hate that fucking place!"

"I'm kidding, Dave! Calm down!" He knew I was kidding.

He looked up at Sam with suspicious eyes. "Who's this?"

"This is Sam. He's my tenant, and he's been helping me with yard work and stuff."

Sam offered his hand to Dave. Dave looked him up and down, then shook his hand. "Pleased to meet you. What are they feeding you, son?"

Sam didn't miss a beat. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Dave looked over at me. With a straight face I said, "Doughnuts, mostly."

Sam shot me a look. Dave noticed it. I smiled a little. Dave looked back and forth between the two of us and his face gradually softened. He spoke again to Sam while pointing at me. "Y'know I offered this guy a job here when he was about your age, but he was too busy with school. I think he was just lazy." Sam smiled.

I remembered. "That's right! I forgot about that. I couldn't work for you, Dave - you're too mean."

"You bet I am!" He winked. "So, what can I sell to you, Adam? I'm counting on you to keep me in business here."

"I'm just here to pick up my annuals, and I'll take a cubic yard of mulch to get the season started."

"Okay. So why don't you let this big fella start filling your truck with mulch while you come inside to get your flats."

I looked sideways at Sam. "Do you have a driver's license?"

"Yes!" he said emphatically, then muttered something else under his breath.

I gave him my keys, pointed towards the mulch bins, and told him what I wanted. He jogged away while we watched him go. Dave squinted at him. "Can he be trusted?"

"Yeah, he's reliable." I shifted gears. "Do you have any new stock that I might like?"

"I have a perennial hibiscus that's right up your alley. Huge flowers. Science fiction huge. I'll show you."

"Sounds good. By the way, that peony you gave me a few years ago finally has buds on it."

He was quiet for a minute. "I remember that day. I'm glad it's doing better. I wasn't sure it was gonna make it." He gave me a meaningful look.

"It's just a plant, Dave."

"I think you know what I mean, kiddo." He put his hand on my back to lead me into the greenhouse. My throat was getting tight. I must have been dehydrated.

We looked at the hibiscus, and he was right - I wanted it. He said he would have someone bring it to the front along with my flats of annuals. Then he excused himself, saying he had something else to do while I went to look at his organic fertilizers and insecticides.

While one of the cashiers wrote everything up, I looked out the window and saw Dave talking to Sam next to my truck. It looked like a serious conversation, with Dave doing most of the talking while Sam just nodded. I saw Dave put his hand on Sam's thick upper arm. He held it there a little longer than I would have liked. If I hadn't been paying for my purchases I would have gone out there to see what was going on.

By the time I pulled my cart outside they were finished talking. Sam started loading everything into the truck while Dave took me aside. He pointed at Sam and said, "Y'know, I could use one of those around here. I can't do all the heavy lifting I used to do." It was true that Dave was aging, but he still looked pretty fit. "You should think about letting him work for me."

I was taken aback. "Well, it's not up to me, Dave. He can do what he wants. He's . . . he's just my tenant."

"Okay . . . but talk to him about it, would you?" Then he spoke louder, so Sam could hear as well. "And I expect to see you back here next weekend! There must be a few square inches of dirt where you could cram in another plant." He waved at Sam and walked away. Sam waved back.

When I got into the truck I had to pull the driver's seat forward about a foot from where Sam had moved it. He was quiet as we pulled out onto the road. I broke the silence. "So what was that about?"

He looked startled. "What?"

"You know what. I saw you talking to Dave. What did he say to you?"

"Nothing. I mean, he offered me a job."

"Yeah? What did you say?"

"I told him I had a job, but I would think about it." He stopped there.

"You don't seem too excited. Even if you don't want the job, it was a nice offer, right?"

"Yeah. I might have said yes if I had a car." It was true he would need a car to get to the nursery. Still, he was strangely reticent.

"So, what else did he say?"

There was a long pause before he answered. He looked down at his feet. "He said I should be careful with you."

I bristled. "What? You should be careful with me? What does that mean?"

"He said, 'I'm glad you and Adam are friends, but be careful with him.' That's what he said."

"Why?! What does he think I'm gonna to do to you? Does he think I'm some kind of pervert?!" I was getting angry. "I can't believe he would say that . . ."

"That's not what he meant . . ."

"Why would he want to turn you against me like that?"

"Adam . . . that's not . . ."

"It just goes to show, you can't trust people no matter how long you know them . . ."

"Adam! Stop! That's not what he meant! Now just forget about it! I shouldn't have told you!"

"He doesn't know me as well as he thinks he does . . ."

"ADAM!" he yelled. "Dave is your friend! He's not your enemy - he's your friend! Jeezus!" He shook his head back and forth. "You're lucky you have any friends at all!"

That shut me up. I was seething, but quiet. We drove in silence for what seemed like ages, but was probably a few minutes.

He spoke. "I'm sorry, Adam . . ."

"No, I'm sorry." I wasn't sorry.

"I shouldn't have said that . . . it was too harsh."

"No, I appreciate your honesty." I was lying.

Sam took a deep breath and exhaled. "Adam, you've been good to me. You're a good friend. I don't want anything to get in the way of that. I appreciate everything you've done for me, and I like you. I mean, I really like you. Even when you're like this."

Now he was getting somewhere. I let down my guard a little. "I know I'm difficult to . . . I'm just difficult."

He didn't disagree with me.

I continued. "I'm sorry I got angry. I don't want things to be awkward between us." I cleared my throat. "I was really looking forward to this weekend." That didn't come out easily.

"Yeah?" He smiled. "Me too."

"You were?" My voice cracked.

He looked at me and paused. "Yeah, Adam. I really like you. I like being around you. You talk to me like an adult. I feel good when I'm with you . . . like a real person."

"Well, you are a real person!" I was pulling into my driveway. "You are an adult." I shut off the engine.

"But not everybody treats me that way. So . . . are we cool?"

"Yeah. We're cool." That sounded odd coming out of my mouth. We got out of the truck and walked around to the tailgate. For once in my life I said more than I absolutely had to. "Sam . . . thank you for helping me." I looked him in the eye. He started to move toward me but I held out my hand with one finger up. "Don't hug me or I'm gonna to lose it!" He retreated. "Now . . . I'm gonna go in the house for a few minutes, and when I come out we'll start working. Okay?"

"Okay. Take your time. I'll be here." He understood.

***

When I came out of the house Sam was standing in front of the open garden shed, surveying its deteriorated condition. He did me a huge favor and launched right into work talk. "So what's the plan for this?"

"It needs to be scraped and painted. It hasn't been done for years."

"It needs more than paint, it needs repairs. It's a nice little building. I think it could be beautiful."

"I'm not good at fixing things. That was my Dad's hobby."

"Well, that's what I'm here for, and I need to earn my food. Can I tell you what I would do with it?"

"Sure!" I was glad he had initiative. The shed was built around the same time as the house, and it was more than a simple utility building. It had architectural style - Stick Victorian, to be precise. Sam pointed out the things that needed to be fixed and said all the tools he needed were in the basement. I told him to fix it up the way he thought it should be done. He was happy to hear that. Can I just say, if I haven't said it before: he was so fucking sexy when he was happy. He was sexy no matter what, but . . . whew! I wanted him to be happy all the time.

I took the gardening tools I needed and told him I would be planting the annuals in the front yard while he worked on the shed. I invited him to take whatever tools he needed from the basement. "Cool" he said. "I'm gonna take everything out of the shed to clean it, but I'll put it all back before I leave for the restaurant this afternoon."

"That's fine. Do what you need to do. I don't even know what's in there anymore."

"And I'm gonna to take my shirt off again. Just so you know."

"You don't need my permission. Make yourself comfortable."

"I know . . . you said that." I started to walk away when he spoke again. "You can take yours off, too, Adam." I looked at him - the corner of his mouth was turned up.

"I don't need your permission, either!"

"I know! I'm just sayin' it wouldn't bother me."

"Thank you!" I barked before going around the corner of the house. I wasn't sure what to think of his remark. If I hadn't known better, I might have thought he was flirting, but I dismissed that thought immediately. It was just his good manners. I was accustomed to removing my shirt while working outdoors in warm weather, but I had to acknowledge feeling more self-conscious about it with Sam around. I didn't even want to think about comparing my body to his. Humiliating! But, I didn't want to appear uncomfortable around him either. So I took off my t-shirt and hung it on a shrub, exposing my wintery pale torso to sunlight. I strapped on my iPod and queued up Ella Fitzgerald's Cole Porter Songbook.

I started plugging plants into every open space in my flower beds. I was quickly transported to the inner world where I preferred to live during my free time. I was oblivious to my surroundings until I happened to glance up and catch Sam peering around the bush at the corner of the house. He quickly pulled his head out of sight. What the hell? I blinked a few times, but he didn't reappear. I went back to work, but kept one eye on that bush. After a few moments Sam was there again. I pretended not to notice while he lingered there. Is he afraid to interrupt me? Maybe he thinks I'm still upset.

I tried to appear slightly startled when I did look up. He didn't retreat this time, but pretended that he was just coming around the corner. He had something in his hand, but I was looking at how narrow his waist was compared to his shoulders. I regretted being shirtless. I pulled out my ear buds.

"Adam, look what I found in the shed." I recognized a rusty iron weather vane as he came closer. "I think this used to be on the roof, on top of a little cupola that was in there, too."

"I haven't seen that since I was a kid." I was examining Sam's nipples.

"There's a bunch of new shingles in there, too. It looks like enough to cover the roof of the shed."

I was distracted by a smudge of dirt on the inside of his biceps. And a prominent vein. "What did you say? I was looking at the angel." The weather vane was in the form of an angel blowing a trumpet.

"Come back here for a minute - I'll show you." I followed him to the back of the house. I noted all the different muscles in his back and the flexing of his legs as he walked. The contents of the shed were spread out on the grass. He pointed to a stack of unused wooden shingles and a weather-beaten wooden cupola that I vaguely remembered seeing before.

"Maybe my Dad was planning to restore the shed but he never got around to it."

"That's what it looks like," Sam said. "I also found these pieces of trim." He picked up some wooden gingerbread scrolls similar to some of the trim on the house. "I bet these were attached to the eaves - like this." He stretched his body to hold one of the pieces under the edge of the roof.

I wanted to run my hands over his torso, but I also appreciated what he was showing me. It was kind of exciting to think that he would be completing a project my father had started. "That's awesome, Sam. Do you think you can put that cupola back on the roof?"

"Yeah, no problem. And I can replace the shingles, too. These wooden ones will look a lot better than the asphalt shingles that are up there now." He picked up a bundle of shingles in one hand, shaping his biceps into a large round ball.

I redirected my thoughts. "We should break for lunch. Do you want a sandwich? Or several?"

"Sure, I could eat." He grinned.

"You can keep working - I'll make them." I headed up the back porch.

"Yes, master!"

I looked back over my shoulder. "I'll be watching you!" Of course that was true, but . . . well, you know what I meant.

I had a couple of pounds of lean roast beef and a good loaf of sourdough bread. I stirred together some mayonnaise and horseradish to use as a spread, with extra horseradish just for kicks. I used all the meat and bread to make six sandwiches. One was for me. We ate at a small table I had on the porch, both of us shirtless. I tried not to think about my inferior body. Sam kept looking at me while he was chewing. The horseradish put a few beads of sweat on his forehead, so I think he was waiting for me to react to the spicy sandwiches. I just smiled.

After lunch Sam started scraping the old paint off the shed. His strength made it look easy because he could remove all the layers of paint with one stroke of the scraper, exposing the clean wood underneath. It crossed my mind that he could probably demolish the shed with his bare hands. I went back to planting in the front yard.

I started thinking about our visit with Dave at the nursery. I didn't like the fact that he told Sam to be careful with me, but my lustful feelings towards my young tenant did make me wonder if his warning was fair. If Sam had any idea how many times I had masturbated to mental images of him he would be looking for a new place to live. The last thing he needed was another older man salivating over him. I felt like I had been disrespecting him, and he deserved better.

Then I wondered why Dave was so quick to offer Sam a job. He just met him. I remembered the way Dave was touching Sam's arm. Could there be some repressed desire that Dave was projecting onto me when he warned Sam? I have to say, I was pretty good at picking up on people's motivations, and this seemed plausible. Then again, Dave had offered me a job when I was in college and he barely knew me. That went against my theory of repressed sexual attraction. Hmm. I would figure it out eventually.

After planting all the annuals, I went back to get the hibiscus I bought. Sam was picking stray paint chips off of his damp pectorals. I silently asked the God I didn't believe in, "Are you testing me?" Sam said he would need to get ready for work, so I offered to stow the contents of the shed. That way I would know where everything was. He went up to his apartment while I arranged the garden tools, clay pots, fertilizers and insecticides. I stacked the bundles of shingles next to the shed. They were heavier than I thought, so it was hard work. Then I considered the cupola. It wasn't huge, but it had to weigh over a hundred pounds. There was no way I could think about moving it by myself. It would have to stay there.

Sam came down the stairs dressed in the black clothing he wore at the restaurant. It reminded me of the day I went there to reject his application for the apartment, except that he was now larger. He was freshly showered and shaved and impossibly handsome. I noticed that his pants looked too short. "Are those the same black pants you usually wear?" I asked. "Because I don't remember them hanging that far above your shoes."

He looked down at them. "Damn! I just bought these a few weeks ago. Does this material shrink when you wash it?"

"It shouldn't. Do they feel tighter?"

"Well, kind of, but that's not surprising."

"Maybe they're just riding higher on your . . ." I stopped there. I didn't want to mention that his ass looked higher and tighter.

"I'll just have to wear them for now. Do you want me to move that cupola before I go?"

"I don't think you . . ."

"I'll put it over there."

"Okay."

He picked it up the way I would pick up one of my kitchen chairs. He held it away from his body so his clothes wouldn't get dirty, and he set it down carefully where it wouldn't be in the way. "I should get going," he said, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. "What's the plan for tomorrow?"

"Uh, I'm . . . I'm too tired to think straight. Sleep as late as you want and we'll take it from there."

"Okay. I'll see you tomorrow." He jogged down the driveway and turned towards the harbor. Does he ever just walk? I thought.

After he left I thought about masturbating again, but I was feeling guilty about objectifying him. I decided to go for a short run. Then I took a shower. And masturbated. It was still early evening, and the house seemed too quiet. I wandered through the rooms and thought about dusting the furniture. I opened the refrigerator. I closed it. I wished I still had wine in the house. I sat down at the kitchen table for a few minutes, but I didn't like it. I decided to watch a movie.

I looked through my collection of DVDs and came across Roman Polanski's Tess, a film version of the novel Sam had borrowed from my library. I put it in the player and stretched out on the leather couch to watch the young heroine's life get destroyed, first by seduction and then by true love. During the final scene, as Tess was waking up on a slab at Stonehenge, surrounded by the police who would arrest her for murder, I fell asleep.

*****

Continued in: Part 8

[arpeejay]

http://www.facebook.com/arpeejay

[imfit]

This installment was a great way to end the weekend. The narrative and dialog is very crisp and well-written.

[hardmuscl4life]

that is really wonderful. Nothing like a bit of delicious anticipation now is there...?

Many thanks,
George

[nnnrg]

That Tess citation had better NOT be foreshadowing.

[Anifanatic10]

It's late. I got work in the morning. I should go to sleep, but I can't cuz I saw this posted. I have to read first. I'm like an addict. Damn you Reeza and your excellent writing.

[TKnTexas55]

It is always good for to see a new chapter of this story. The characters are just so dang likeable.

[dickasauras]

I love it! Each tiny tantalizing piece delivered agonizingly slowly. Keep up the good work.

[hempmonkey]

Your narrative voice, as ever, is outstanding. It's strange that I read most stories on here for the turn-ons, but this one is just genuinely a good read. You've slyly turned me into quite the fan!

[mario2007]

You are a masterful storyteller. Once again, thank you!

[HugestFuckGod]

I hate to sound like a broken record but I'm not the only broken disc here, I think you have a fallowing of fans now. I love this story. It's their first fight, that's going in the scrapbook! Can't wait for more!

[makurra]

Damn, each one of these chapters is like a birthday present to me!! Reeza, you rock buddy!!

[zmack]

Reeza, you do phenomenal work. This has honestly been one of the most enjoyable musclegrowth series I've read in a long time. Your characters have a realness and a likeability to them that makes them both attractive and easy to identify with. (Especially that of Adam, for so, so many reasons. :-P )

Thank you for writing and sharing your work with us!

[Machiavellian]

Another awesome chapter! I love the subtle little hints all around Adam that he never picks up on. Me thinks that Adam should start secretly lacing the food with something with a little kick. A little Miracle Grow, if you know what I mean... to speed things up a little

[Faust2001]

I'm so glad I stumbled on this series! Each chapter has been a joy to read (and not just to read about the muscles). Please keep this going.

[jen12smith34]

Hey. Just wondering why the updates have stopped. This part has actually slipped to the 2nd page! This hasn't happened since the beginning of the series! Please tell me you haven't abandoned the story!

[Reeza]

Originally Posted by jen12smith34

Hey. Just wondering why the updates have stopped. This part has actually slipped to the 2nd page! This hasn't happened since the beginning of the series! Please tell me you haven't abandoned the story!

Well, thanks to you it's on the first page again!

I have not abandoned the story. I have been working diligently and will post the next part this weekend. It will be a longer chapter to make up for the longer wait.

[TKnTexas55]

So glad to hear that. :-)

[Mdlftr]

Originally Posted by nnnrg

That Tess citation had better NOT be foreshadowing.

I think it means he may be "eating strawberries" in a very sensuous way.....
...or not!



Mdlftr

Anyone who has seen this film with Natasha Kinkski (Klaus Kinski's daughter, believe it or not) knows what I mean!

Those Victorians and their smut! Shocking! Now be quiet so I can finish reading.....

[Reeza]

Originally Posted by Mdlftr

I think it means he may be "eating strawberries" in a very sensuous way.....
...or not!



Mdlftr

Apparently you were looking over my shoulder while I was writing. (That's creepy - stop it!) You paved the way for the next chapter.