The Inheritance Clause

This story contains descriptions of graphic sex between males. If that kind of thing does not appeal to you, stop reading now.

This story is pure fiction. If this resembles something that happened to you, it must have been an incredible experience. But it's simply a coincidence.

All comments are welcome: djwarner1984@hotmail.com Please donate to Nifty: https://donate.nifty.org/

-DJ

========== The Inheritance Clause - 2

Dawson opened the library door. He stepped out into the hallway. The participants were standing around in small groups.

"We're ready," Dawson said.

He walked back into the room and the others began to follow. Adam was sitting on the settee again. Dawson joined him as they waited for everyone to return. When Carmen and Daryl came into the room, they shut the door. Carmen went to the table. She picked up the packets of papers and walked over to the settee.

"These are your copies of the will and the clauses," she said as she handed a packet to each of the boys.

Carmen walked back to the table.

"I have some questions," Dawson said as he put his drink on the side table and scooted forward in his seat. He opened the will and flipped a couple pages.

"Ok," Carmen said as she sat back in her seat.

"It says 'no direct contact with the outside world'," Dawson said, "what indirect contact is allowed?"

Adam sat up straighter, with heightened interest. Carmen smiled to herself. Adam sipped his drink.

"All communication will come into the house and exit the house through Mr. Krantz. He has instructions for how that will work," said Carmen.

"What about Vickie? Who's telling her what's happening?" asked Dawson.

Dawson felt Adam's hand land on the middle of his back as a sign of gratitude for supporting him. Carmen saw Adam's arm move to place his hand on Dawson, but no one else in the room noticed.

"There are written messages I will deliver to Miss Cartwright and your cousin, Cassie, myself. They will be told what's happening and will be asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement," Carmen said. "They will be instructed to direct all communications through Mr. Krantz after that."

"We would like to see the letters you'll be giving to Vickie and Cassie. And the non-disclosure agreements," said Dawson.

Adam gently tapped his hand on Dawson's back, to show Dawson that he appreciated what he was doing. Carmen nodded. Adam kept his hand there, creating a slight warmth where his hand was. Carmen lifted a folder off the desk, as if she knew this question would come up. She walked over and handed it to Dawson.

"What are you telling Adam's parents?" Dawson asked.

Without realizing it, Adam began to subtly rub his hand on Dawson's back.

"No one else will be told any information about what is happening," Carmen said as she returned to her seat.

"His parents are going to ask what happened to him," Dawson said to Carmen.

"If anyone asks, they will be told that the outcome of the distribution of assets is sealed and confidential. Any interaction with the beneficiaries is prohibited as part of the confidential outcome," said Carmen, "that's all they will be told."

Adam raised his eyebrows and laughed as he realized his dad was going to flip out. In a way, he was comforted by the fact that he didn't have to deal with him. He took a sip of his drink.

"What about our clothes and personal items?" Dawson asked.

Adam tapped Dawson's back again as if he were cheering him on.

"Vickie and Cassie will collect your personal items and clothing for storage. Mr. Krantz will provide you with a new wardrobe and get you anything you need while you're here," Carmen said.

"You need any of your personal items?" Dawson turned his head and asked Adam.

Adam thought about it for a moment as his hand went back to subtly rubbing Dawson's back. He then shook his head. He watched Dawson as he turned back to Carmen.

"Ok...where's all the money coming from to pay for all this?" Dawson asked.

Carmen smiled. She was proud of Dawson for asking such great questions.

"Mr. Jameson worked it out so you and Adam would inherit roughly the same amount. As expenses are incurred, assets will be liquidated from the two inheritances in such a way that they are equal in value at the end of six months," Carmen explained.

Dawson felt energized by Adam's gentle rubbing on his back as he continued his questioning.

"Who is managing the finances?" Dawson asked.

"The seven-person ruling panel," Carmen said.

Dawson scanned the room, to look at the people who will make up the ruling panel. He reached for his drink, took a sip, and put the glass back down.

"What are Krantz' and Niven's incentives to ensure we make it the six months?" Dawson asked, "how do we know they won't sabotage us?"

"Mr. Jameson provided generous investment portfolios for his household staff. If declination kicks in, they are terminated and that all goes away. Your fates are tied together," explained Carmen.

"Sorry...I had to ask," said Dawson as he looked at Niven and Krantz.

"Of course," said Krantz.

"Quite right," said Niven with a tight nod after she spoke for emphasis.

"You have any questions?" Dawson said as he turned to Adam.

"No, you asked all the questions I was going to ask," Adam said jokingly, but with a deadpan delivery.

Dawson felt Adam tap his back twice as a sign of gratitude.

"Really..." Dawson smiled as he looked at Adam.

Dawson bumped his fist onto the side of Adam's thigh and chuckled. Dawson turned back toward Carmen.

"Ok, I'm sorry for all the questions. Adam and I will look at the messages and non-disclosures and then we will sign the agreement," Dawson said.

Dawson opened the folder. He slipped the message to Vickie out of the folder. Adam removed his hand from Dawson's back and he took the paper. Dawson began reading the non-disclosure agreement. When Adam finished reading the message to Vickie, he looked up at Carmen.

"Can I add a personal message? I just want to tell her I love her in my own handwriting," Adam asked.

Carmen got a sympathetic look on her face as she began to shake her head.

"I'm sorry, no. My instructions on this were very explicit," said Carmen.

Adam looked at her blankly. Then he looked at Dawson for help. Dawson took the document and read it.

"She'll be fine, Adam. Remember what we talked about?" said Dawson.

Adam sighed and nodded. Carmen looked curiously again at the pair.

Dawson finished reviewing the remaining documents. He signaled to Adam and they both got up and went over to the table. They signed the acceptance agreement. And that was that. The six-month isolation at the lake house would now take effect.

One by one, each of the participants shook their hands and wished them luck. Carmen was the last to leave the room.

"You'll be fine. Make sure you both read the parts you waived," Carmen said to Dawson.

She then looked back and forth between the pair.

"Carmen, do you know why Clayton did this?" Dawson said softly.

Adam stood next to Dawson, listening.

"I asked him at the time. And again every chance I got. He would only say, 'I have my reasons'. I can only guess. Maybe you two will figure that out. Now, if you have any questions, Mr. Krantz can always get in touch with me," Carmen said before she walked out.

Krantz and Niven left the two alone in the library while they walked the group out. Dawson went over and grabbed his drink. He took a sip.

"You were amazing the way you asked all those questions," Adam said with awe.

"I can't help it. It's the way my brain works," said Dawson casually.

Adam took a sip of his drink and sat down on the settee. Dawson sat down next to him.

"Now what do we do?" Adam said, not really asking Dawson, but just talking out loud.

"We find out what Krantz and Niven can tell us," said Dawson.

Dawson took a sip. He looked at Adam who was staring at him.

"What?" asked Dawson.

"I was just thinking that I'm glad that it's you I'm going to be stuck with," said Adam.

Dawson chuckled.

"You don't even know me," said Dawson.

"I know enough," said Adam, "you had my back before, asking all those questions about Vickie...and my granddad trusted you enough to give you half of his fortune."

"But, you don't know anything about me," Dawson repeated.

"Like what? What don't I know about you that I need to be concerned about," Adam said, challenging Dawson.

"Well...I don't know..." Dawson looked at his drink and then got a thought, "for instance, did you know I'm gay?"

"I do now. Does it bother you that I'm straight?" Adam said without hesitation.

"No," Dawson said with a slight chuckle.

"Well, then we both feel the same about that topic, don't we?" said Adam with a casual smile.

Dawson slowly smiled and then held up his drink. They clinked glasses and each took a sip. Dawson put his glass down.

"I need to stop drinking. I don't usually drink this much and I haven't eaten anything," said Dawson.

"Yeah," said Adam.

Adam took a sip and then got up and put his glass down on the serving tray in the corner of the room. Dawson got up and did the same. They sat down on the settee in silence for a few moments. Then Niven and Krantz came into the library.

"Well, it's past one o'clock, you boys must be hungry," Niven said.

"We are," said Dawson, "but we have some questions."

"Of course you do," said Krantz, "come with us."

Adam and Dawson got up. Dawson picked up both of the will packets. Krantz and Niven led them out of the library and down the hall. They went into the kitchen, which had a dinette area with enough seating for six people. There were some sandwiches, salad, and cold sides on the table.

"Eat something," Niven practically ordered.

The boys sat down and began eating, not realizing until that moment how hungry they were.

"Thank you, this is really good," Adam said in between bites.

Dawson nodded in agreement as he swallowed some potato salad.

"Do either of you know why Clayton set this up like this? Why he wanted us to do this?" asked Dawson before taking a bite of a sandwich.

Niven and Krantz looked at each other.

"We don't know. Mr. Jameson didn't tell us, nor was there anything in our instructions that indicated why he set his will up this way," said Krantz in a very measured tone.

"Whatever his motivation was, it had to be a good reason. Mr. Jameson was a smart man and he never did anything by accident. We were hoping maybe you knew," said Niven.

Dawson stopped chewing and looked at Adam. Adam took a sip of his water.

"We only just met at the wake. We don't have any idea either," said Adam.

Niven and Krantz looked at each other again. Then Niven looked down in disappointment.

"So what do we have to do? What are these terms and conditions?" Dawson asked.

"You are inquisitive, aren't you?" Niven said as she pursed her lips.

"Our instructions are explicit. Only when you need to do something are we allowed to unseal the instruction and read it ourselves," explained Krantz.

"So we have no idea what we need to do?" Adam asked.

"Well, we know today's instructions," replied Niven.

Dawson and Adam stopped eating and looked at Niven and Krantz.

"You need to give me your measurements, sizes, and preferences for your wardrobe," Krantz said.

"And I will show you to your rooms," said Niven, "and then there are two other things you need to do."

"Select your dinner menu and the movie for screening after dinner," Krantz said.

"That's it? Those are our instructions?" Adam asked as he looked confused.

"Yes," Niven said, "for today."

The boys looked at each other.

"I kinda thought there would be more. Something that gives us some idea why we're here," Adam said.

"Maybe there will be. It's barely the first day," Dawson said to Adam as he scooped some potato salad onto his fork.

Niven placed a piece of paper, two pens, and a binder onto the table.

"Here's the menu form, just fill in, together, what you both want," Niven said, gesturing at the paper. "This has a listing of suggestions for every course," she said putting her hand on the binder. "But I'll prepare anything you want, as long as we have the ingredients and I have enough time to prepare it. Do either of you have allergies or dietary restrictions?"

They both looked at each other and shook their heads. Dawson picked up the paper, glanced at it, and handed it to Adam.

"You want to do it?" Dawson asked as Adam took the menu template and looked at it.

"I'm sorry, I should have been more explicit. The instructions were very clear that you must prepare the menu together," said Niven.

Dawson got a confused look on his face. Adam started to chuckle. Dawson started to chuckle, too. They both found it comical that they were forced to stay there in isolation, all so they could prepare a dinner menu.

"Ok..." said Dawson as he laughed.

The boys looked at each other. Adam shook his head smiling as he looked down to take a bite of his sandwich. Dawson smiled as he took a drink of water.

"Do you need us to do this now?" Dawson asked Niven.

"After you've finished eating will be fine. Then I'll show you to your rooms," she said.

"And here's the wardrobe forms I need from each of you," Krantz said as he put two pieces of paper onto the table. "Anything you don't know, leave blank. Bring them when Niven sees you to your rooms. I can measure anything missing then."

"Here are your communicators. Their range is strong enough to reach anywhere on the property. Press the button with the name of whomever you need, and you can speak to us," said Niven.

The boys each picked up a communicator and looked at them. Krantz and Niven didn't wait for a response. They turned around and left the kitchen. The quiet was deafening as the two boys just looked at each other. Suddenly they both burst out laughing at the comical circumstance they found themselves in.

Dawson chuckled as he looked at Adam, shaking his head. They finished eating. Dawson came around to sit next to Adam. They flipped through the binder and bantered back and forth as they selected the four courses for their dinner. When they were finished, Dawson held up the menu they had drawn up in front of them.

"We're both gonna get fat if we keep eating like this," he declared.

"Mmm," said Adam, "we are definitely going to have to workout."

"Oh, we can swim laps together," said Dawson.

"Oh, um, I don't swim," said Adam.

"Really? You never swam in the lake?" asked Dawson.

"No, I never went in the water. My dad had a fear of water so I was afraid, too," admitted Adam.

"Well, seeing as we have six months of unlimited free time, I'm going to teach you," said Dawson.

"Seriously?" said Adam.

"For sure..." said Dawson as he gently ribbed Adam in the side with his elbow.

Adam tried to deflect him and missed. In retaliation, he slid his shoulder into Dawson's shoulder, jolting him slightly in his chair.

"C'mon, let's fill these out and go to our rooms. My head is still spinning from all the theatrics today," said Dawson.

"Yeah," said Adam.

They took a few minutes filling out their wardrobe form. At one point, Adam playfully hunched over his paper and looked at Dawson.

"Hey, no fair cheating," said Adam.

"Why would I cheat off of you? You have wrong answers," said Dawson.

"What do you mean?" asked Adam as he looked at his sheet.

"There's no way you have a 34" waist. I have a 34" waist and you're thinner than me," said Dawson.

"Oh yeah?" Adam said and stood up.

He removed his belt.

"What are you doing?" asked Dawson.

"Proving you wrong. Stand up," said Adam.

Adam took his belt and held it out in front of Dawson as he stood.

"Arms up," Adam said.

Dawson stared at Adam as he lifted his arms out. Adam moved into Dawson's personal space. His cheek came right up next to his without touching, as Adam wrapped the belt around Dawson's back. Dawson got a good whiff of Adam's scent. It was an intoxicating smell. Adam didn't seem to be bothered by being so close to Dawson as he wrapped the belt around Dawson's waist.

"Here, hold this here," Adam said, pinching where the belt met in front.

Dawson took hold of the belt at the place where Adam was pinching it.

"Now wrap it around my waist and you will see how wrong you are," Adam said smugly.

Dawson leaned in close to Adam as he lifted his arms. He closed his eyes momentarily and lingered for a couple moments so he could revel in Adam's aroma again. Dawson slid the belt around and brought the marked spot to the front. He pulled his body back and looked down.

"Ha! See? At least an inch less than me," Dawson said.

"No way! You don't know how to measure properly," Adam said, looking down between them.

"Just admit you were wrong," said Dawson.

"Fat chance," Adam said as he grabbed the belt and started to put it back on.

Dawson laughed as he picked up his communicator.

"Let me know when you're done, we'll contact Niven," said Dawson.

Adam sat back down and finished his wardrobe form, while Dawson started putting things into the refrigerator. Adam contacted Niven and told her they were ready to go to their rooms. She came into the kitchen, looked at the menu, nodded, and told them to follow her. The boys took their wardrobe sheets and will packets as Niven brought them upstairs. They made their way to the east wing. They stopped at the first door in the hallway. Niven put her hand up when Adam reached for the doorknob.

"This will be Mr. Stewart's room," said Niven.

"But this was always my room when I stayed here," said Adam.

"The instructions were explicit," said Niven.

Adam got a bemused look on his face.

"I'd like to see these instructions," said Adam.

"That will not be possible," she said as she opened the door.

"Mr. Stewart?" Niven said, as she gestured into the room.

"Could you please call me Dawson? Or is that in the instructions, too," Dawson said cheekily.

"And you don't need to call me Mr. Jameson," Adam said as he followed Dawson into the room

Niven paused and looked at them back and forth.

"Fine," was all she said.

They entered the room and looked around. Right in front of them, were glass sliding doors that led to a balcony facing the lake. On either side of the sliding doors were tall bureaus. There was a king bed on each side of the door they came in. The heads of the beds were against the wall so you could lay in bed and look out over the lake. In the corners, next to the beds, were small round tables. There was a couch at the foot of each bed. A set of clothes lay neatly folded on top of one of the bureaus. To the left, between the couch and bureau was a wide set of doors. Niven walked over to the doors and opened them. A huge walk-in closet was revealed. It was completely empty, except for a laundry bin in the corner. To the right of the door they came in, was the bathroom door, which was between the other couch and bureau. Niven crossed the room and opened the bathroom door.

"You will be sharing the connecting bathroom. You will find sufficient toiletries in there. If you need anything else, just ask," Niven said.

Dawson walked around the room, looking at the two king-sized beds, the two couches, and the two bureaus. He put his wardrobe sheet and will packet on one of the bureaus. He went into the bathroom. To the right he saw two sinks with an array of toiletries. He turned around. There was a huge walk-in shower right in front of him, with a clear glass door. On both sides of the shower were doors. He opened the one on the left, there was a toilet. He opened the door on the right, there was another toilet. Dawson and Adam would have their own toilet and sink but share the shower.

Adam just stood in the center of Dawson's bedroom. When Dawson came out of the bathroom, the two of them looked at each other, then at Niven. She gestured for them to exit. They went back out into the hallway to the next room and Niven opened the door. She gestured for Adam to go in. They all stepped in. It was the exact same room as Dawson's except the closet was on the right. Dawson opened the bathroom door on the left and he could see directly across into his room on the other side. Adam put his wardrobe sheet and will packet on one of the beds.

"Krantz will be wanting your movie selection at some point before dinner," she said and then paused.

The boys just stood there. They weren't sure what they were supposed to do next.

"Can I suggest you change out of those suits? Perhaps, relax in the garden? Your grandfather did his best thinking there. You could use some fresh air while you adjust to this new reality," she said.

She let that hang there for a moment.

"Is there anything else I can get you?" she asked.

Dawson looked at Adam. He pointed at him as he spoke.

"Iced tea in the garden?" he said to Adam.

"Lemonade?" Adam said as he pointed back.

"Lemonade," Dawson repeated as he smiled and shook his finger at Adam.

"Niven, we're going to change and go relax in the garden. No rush, if you could bring us some lemonade..." Dawson said.

"All right then. Adam. Dawson," she said, emphasizing that she was using their first names, "Dinner will be served in the dining room at 6:30."

With that, she left and closed the door. Almost immediately, there was a knock. Adam opened the door. It was Krantz. He saw Dawson was in Adam's room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt. I'll come back later for your wardrobe information," said Krantz.

"No bother. Here," Adam reached for the sheet.

He handed it to Krantz who looked it over.

"I'll need to take some measurements, Mr. Jameson... your chest, arms, neck," said Krantz, "and your waist size."

"I put my waist size there," Adam said, pointing at the 34" he'd written on the paper.

"Mr. Jameson, forgive me. I'd like to double check that if you don't mind," Krantz said.

Dawson smiled and snickered slightly. Adam couldn't help grinning as he shook his head and looked at Dawson.

"Krantz. It's going to be a long six months. Call me Adam. And he's Dawson," he said.

Krantz looked at Dawson, then back at Adam. He nodded.

"You can get my measurements now, if you like," he said.

Adam began to take his suit coat off. Dawson, realizing Adam was going to strip down, decided to wait in his room.

"I'll just use the bathroom. When you're done, Krantz, can you come and do my measurements?" Dawson said.

"Of course," said Krantz.

Dawson went into the bathroom and shut Adam's door. He went to the toilet on his side. He stood at the toilet and started to pee. He took in a deep breath and exhaled as he thought about how everything had changed within the space of a couple hours. He finished and used the sink closest to his bedroom. He looked at the toiletries. He confirmed there was a beard trimmer. He went inside his bedroom, leaving his door to the bathroom open.

Dawson went over to the big sliding glass doors which overlooked the lake. He looked out and marveled at how beautiful the grounds were. He looked beyond the lake. He knew the entire lake was part of the 5 square miles of property. He realized he'd never been on the other side of the lake.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in Krantz," Dawson said.

Krantz opened the door. He stepped inside.

"How did you know it was me?" Krantz said, dryly.

"Huh, you have a sense of humor?" Dawson asked with a smile.

"On occasion," Krantz said.

"Heh...good to know..." said Dawson chuckling as he grabbed the wardrobe sheet and handed it to Krantz.

"I just need to take more measurements. It would be easier if you take your shirt and pants off, si...Dawson," Krantz said, stopping before saying sir.

"Sure," Dawson said.

He took off his suit coat and stripped down to his grey boxer briefs and black socks, laying the suit on one of the beds. Dawson stood in the middle of the room, facing the bathroom. Krantz got down and measured his inseam. He stood up and went to the bureau to use its hard surface to write down the measurements.

Adam opened the door on his side of the bathroom. He was dressed in the jeans and green t-shirt left for him on the bureau. He stepped into the bathroom and could see Dawson. He was struck with how fit Dawson looked. Dawson had a swimmer's build. His chest had well defined pecs with light blond hair surrounding his light pink nipples. His tight torso was smooth, except for the reddish-brown treasure trail leading to his briefs. His thighs and calves were lean and tight, with light blond hairs that tapered down to his ankles. His boxer briefs contained a sizable package.

Dawson saw Adam scan his body and then they locked eyes. He felt his package swell from being ogled by Adam. Adam nonchalantly looked away as he went toward the toilet on his side. Not closing Dawson's door, he proceeded to pee. Dawson could hear Adam peeing as he adjusted his stance. Dawson lifted his arms as Krantz measured his chest, neck, and arms. Krantz finished and went to the bureau to write.

"All set," said Krantz.

Dawson dropped his arms and he heard Adam flush the toilet. Krantz took the wardrobe sheet.

"Contact me if you need anything," Krantz said.

"I will," said Dawson.

Adam came into view in the bathroom, washing his hands. Dawson moved to put on the jeans left for him on the bureau. Adam leaned against the bathroom doorway. He wiped his hands with a hand towel, watching Dawson get dressed. Dawson slipped on the jeans and put on the light blue T-shirt left for him. He felt like Adam was leering at him, but when he turned to look, Adam had turned and was tossing the hand towel back on the sink counter.

"What did you do for shoes?" Dawson turned and asked, looking at Adam's feet.

Adam wiggled his bare toes as he stood there looking at them.

"I didn't want to wear my dress shoes, so I'm just going barefoot for now. Krantz says there will be pajamas, slippers, sneakers and a change of clothes tonight. The bulk of our wardrobe will be arriving tomorrow," said Adam.

"Wow, Krantz doesn't fuck around, huh," said Dawson.

"Nope," Adam said as Dawson pulled off his socks.

The two boys left the room and made their way to the garden. When they got there, they wandered to the shaded area that Clayton liked to frequent. It had a beautiful sloping view of the lake. There were comfortable loungers and chairs where they could relax. A tray with two pitchers, one with lemonade and one with iced tea was on the table, with a bucket of ice and some glasses. There was also a plate with some cookies and brownies.

"Niven doesn't fuck around either," Adam commented.

Dawson chuckled. They each poured a glass and took a cookie. They took two loungers next to each other in the shade. As Dawson lay back, he grunted in exhaustion. So did Adam. They both chuckled at how they sounded like old men. They silently munched on the cookies and sipped their drinks. Before either of them could engage in any conversation, the stressful events of the morning and the bourbon caught up with them and they both dozed off.

Dawson woke first. He looked over at Adam, napping. His head was tilted back and his mouth was open slightly. The dimple on his chin was prominently displayed. Dawson turned toward Adam, planted his feet on the ground, and sat up. He leaned forward and watched Adam sleep for a few minutes. There was a cool breeze and Dawson could hear the birds chirping as he watched Adam. He stared at a few cookie crumbs on Adam's shirt that rose and fell with his breathing.

Dawson kept running the different times through his head when he thought he felt some kind of vibe from Adam. He tried to shake the thoughts because there was no point. He reached for his iced tea. As he took a sip, the ice swirled and made some noise. Adam's eyes opened as Dawson was drinking. When Dawson brought the glass down, Adam looked at him.

"What time is it?" Adam said groggily.

"Let me see..." Dawson stood up.

He held his hand up sideways as he looked toward the sun. He then raised up his other hand.

"Um...sunset is about 7:30...so I'd say, it's around 5:30 now," Dawson said and then he sat back down on the lounger.

Adam looked at him with his mouth open. Dawson sipped more of his iced tea, not realizing Adam was staring at him.

"What kind of witchcraft was that?" Adam asked as he sat up.

"Heh heh, it's not witchcraft. It's math and astronomy. You stack your fingers up from the horizon to the bottom of the sun. Each finger is 15 minutes. That's how long it will take for the sun to set. Every four fingers is an hour. Just now, I could stack eight fingers, so two hours until sunset. I know sunset is around 7:30, so...voila...5:30," Dawson explained.

Adam just stared at him.

"That's pretty impressive. Where did you learn that? Were you a Boy Scout?" Adam asked.

"No, my dad taught me that," Dawson said with a bit of sadness in his voice.

"Were you close? I mean, is he still alive? You didn't bring up contacting your parents when we were in the library getting sucked into this inheritance vortex," Adam said and then he sipped his lemonade.

Dawson looked at the ground sadly.

"Well, to be honest, I have no idea if they're alive or not. Nor do I care. I told my parents I was gay when I was 16. I knew it would be rough, but I didn't realize how rough it was going to be. They kicked me out. I was cut off by the whole family. I spent a few nights at a friend's house until my cousin Cassie took me in. She was a lifesaver. She was then cut off by the family, too. I haven't seen or talked to any of my relatives since. Cassie will hear things occasionally, but I told her a long time ago I didn't want to know. They don't exist to me anymore," Dawson said.

While he was talking, Adam turned in his lounger and put his feet on the ground next to Dawson's as they faced each other. He watched Dawson's face intently as Dawson spoke. Adam placed both hands on one of Dawson's knees.

"I'm sorry, Dawson. I didn't mean to dredge up bad memories," Adam said softly.

Dawson raised his head and looked into Adam's eyes.

"It's ok. I focus on my friends and Cassie when I remember that time of my life. It's a positive memory," said Dawson.

Adam tilted his head as he got an awed look on his face.

"You are amazing," Adam said.

Dawson smiled as he felt that sense again of a vibe between him and Adam. He took a drink of his iced tea as a way of deflecting the feeling. Adam leaned back and then stood up.

"More iced tea?" Adam asked as if nothing had just happened.

"That would be great, thanks," Dawson said, gladly changing the subject.

Adam poured himself more lemonade. He brought the pitcher of iced tea over to Dawson and poured more into his glass. As Adam was returning the pitcher, Krantz appeared.

"Oh, Krantz. We were just trying to decide what time it is," Adam said.

"It's just after 5:30. I came down to say you might want to freshen up before dinner," Krantz said.

Adam turned and looked at Dawson with awe because he had calculated what time it was by looking at the sun. Dawson took his hands and placed them on the back of his head with his elbows splayed in triumph as he leaned back in his lounger.

"Amazing," said Adam as he smiled at Dawson.

Adam picked up a brownie and broke it in half. He tossed one half to Dawson, who caught it with a smile. Krantz collected the pitchers onto the tray, as the boys munched on the brownies.

"If you don't mind bringing your glasses up with you when you return to the house, Niven would appreciate it," Krantz said.

"Of course," said Adam.

"Have you selected a film for screening this evening?" Krantz asked.

Adam and Dawson looked at each other.

"We haven't even talked about it yet," Adam said.

"What was Clayton's favorite movie?" Dawson asked.

Adam pointed at Dawson as if to say he thought that was a good idea. They then both looked at Krantz.

"He never actually said, but if I had to guess, I'd say it was 'Twelve Angry Men' with Henry Fonda," said Krantz.

Adam turned and looked at Dawson. Dawson nodded.

"Ok, can we watch that?" Adam asked.

"Screening will begin at nine sharp," Krantz said.

Then Krantz lifted the tray and walked away. Dawson leaned forward and got off the lounger. He grabbed his glass.

"We should head up," Dawson said.

Adam agreed and started walking with Dawson back to the house. As they talked, they discovered neither of them had seen Twelve Angry Men and had no idea what it was about. They dropped off their now empty glasses on a service tray in the terrace entryway. When they got upstairs, Dawson and Adam entered Dawson's room together.

"Oh, sorry. Force of habit," Adam said when he realized what he'd done.

"No worries," said Dawson.

Adam passed through the bathroom and went into his room.

Dawson discovered his closet door was open. There was a pair of casual loafers, a pair of sneakers, and a pair of slippers on the shoe tree. There was a bathrobe hanging as well. Dawson looked at one of the bureaus and noticed two drawers were slightly opened. He looked inside. There were a couple pairs of casual pants and a couple shirts. In the other drawer was some socks and boxer briefs.

Dawson pulled a pair of pants and a shirt from the drawer. He also grabbed a pair of socks and underwear. He turned to put them on the bed. He saw a neatly folded pair of basketball shorts and a t-shirt, what Dawson put on his wardrobe form for pajamas, sitting on the couch. He noticed his suit, which he had placed on the bed earlier, was no longer there. He went toward the bathroom door. Almost immediately, Adam appeared, standing there in just a pair of light blue boxer briefs.

The first thing Dawson noticed was Adam's legs. His thighs were thick and muscular, his calves were meaty, too. He had light brown hair down his legs. His torso was tight, with light brown hair on his abs and pecs. His nipples were dark brown with hard nubs. Adam's briefs did not hide the fact that he had a substantially large package. Dawson paused and his lips parted slightly as he took in the gorgeous sight in front of him. He had no idea how fit Adam really was under his clothes.

Adam turned and casually went to the sink. Dawson saw Adam's plump ass being hugged in his briefs topped by his muscular back. Adam began putting toothpaste on his toothbrush as Dawson stood there, not sure what to do or say.

"We should probably get this out of the way now. We're both guys. We've been in locker rooms before and been around other naked guys. I'm not a nudist or anything, but I'm very comfortable being undressed. If this bothers you, I can cover up when you're around and keep the bathroom door closed," Adam said as he faced Dawson and waved his toothbrush while he spoke.

"No...no...it's fine. I don't mind. It's just that I've really only roomed with Cassie and, as you'd imagine, we weren't as free with this kind of thing. No...don't feel you have to change your routines just because of me. It's fine," Dawson said, trying to convince himself more than Adam.

"Well, all right then," Adam said.

He turned to brush his teeth. Dawson went over to his toilet and peed. Dawson thought about how great it would be for him to be able to see Adam's body all the time. But also, how dangerous. Dawson wasn't sure he was going to be able to shake his attraction to Adam if he kept exposing his body like that. He finished peeing and while shaking off, he put the thoughts out of his mind. He didn't have a choice. He just had to suck it up.

By the time Dawson went to the sink to wash his hands, Adam had finished brushing and gone into his bedroom. He left his bathroom door open. Dawson surmised that Adam was probably never going to shut that door. Dawson could see him putting his clothes on, getting ready for dinner.

Dawson finished and went into his room, leaving his door open, too. He got completely naked and put on the change of clothes. As he was slipping his feet into his loafers, he heard Adam softly knock on the door jamb of the bathroom.

"You ready?" Adam asked.

"One sec," Dawson said.

He walked past Adam into the bathroom. He stood in front of the mirror and began primping his hair.

"C'mon, Prince Charming. It's just going to be you, me, and the Olsen twins at dinner. Who are you trying to impress?" Adam said with a half-grin.

"Are you not impressed?" Dawson said as he finished with his hair.

He turned and faced Adam and splayed his hands out to the side.

"You're gorgeous. Now, let's go. If we're not in the dining room by 6:30, the declination rules could kick in..." Adam said jokingly.

Dawson lightly swiped his hand into Adam's stomach as he breezed by him. Adam uttered a guttural sound and grabbed his stomach, as if he had been hit with a battering ram. Dawson kept walking. The feeling of Adam's hard abdominals lingered on the back of his hand.

When they got downstairs, they stepped into the dining room. They both stopped. They were surprised by what they saw. The table was covered with a delicate linen tablecloth. Two formal settings were arranged with fine china, crystal stemware, and silverware. There were lit candles on the table. Krantz was standing next to the table, dressed in a traditional butler uniform.

"You've got to be kidding me..." Adam said.

"Whoa..." said Dawson.

"Let me guess, you're just following granddad's instructions," said Adam.

"No," Krantz said.

The boys looked at him with confused looks.

"Niven and I thought while you're here for the next six months, you might as well live it up," said Krantz.

The boys laughed softly as they took seats. Krantz had set the table so one setting was at the head of the table. The other setting was next to it. So, the boys could talk next to each other instead of across from each other. Adam took the seat at the head of the table. Dawson, sat next to him.

"I've paired the wine, if you'd like. Or I can get you something else to drink," said Krantz.

"Paired? What does that mean?" asked Dawson.

"I've selected a different wine for each course that will pair with it to enhance the flavors," Krantz explained.

"You've never had a meal paired with wine before? It's a great experience. Krantz, we'll both do the pairing," Adam said as he gestured to Dawson to indicate he was taking charge.

"I've had wine before. But not paired," Dawson said.

Adam touched Dawson's forearm and leaned over with an eager look on his face.

"Let me walk you through the first few sips, I want to show you what you've been missing," Adam said with excitement.

Dawson felt a bit of a spark when Adam touched him. When Adam finished talking, he sat back and pulled his hand away. Krantz poured the first wine into both of their glasses and then left the room.

"Wait until we get the first course and then I'll show you something really cool," Adam said with excitement.

Dawson smiled at him. Krantz came back into the room with the first course - crab cakes with an aioli sauce on the side - and placed them in front of the boys. Then he left the room.

"Now, close your eyes, smell the wine, and keep them closed," Adam said, the excitement still resonating in his voice.

Dawson closed his eyes, put the glass up to his nose, and took in the aroma of the wine. Adam watched him with a slight smile on his face.

"What do you smell?" Adam asked softly and then he took a whiff of the wine himself.

"Um...lemon, but like a hint of lemon. Like a lemon peel," Dawson said.

"Anything else?" Adam said.

"Um..." Dawson said and then took in the scent through his nose again, "Butter? Butter...but real butter, not margarine."

"Excellent," said Adam.

"Now, open your eyes and take a sip," Adam said.

Both boys took a sip.

"What do you taste?" Adam said with an expectant look on his face.

"Still lemon, but a bit stronger...and something else...but I'm not sure what it is.." Dawson said scrunching his nose to try to figure it out.

"Good, now take a taste of the crab cake, no aioli sauce yet," Adam instructed.

Adam watched Dawson with a slight grin on his face. Both boys took a bite of the crab cake.

"Mmm, this is good," Adam said as Dawson nodded in agreement.

After they swallowed, Adam reached over and lightly touched Dawson's forearm again.

"Now, close your eyes and smell again. Tell me what you smell," Adam said softly.

Dawson was a bit distracted by Adam's fingers touching him, but he tried to ignore it. He brought the glass up to his nose and smelled.

"Whoa," Dawson said as he opened his eyes and looked at the wine glass, "I can really smell the lemon now. And the butter is gone," Dawson said.

Adam chuckled softly to himself.

"Now sip," Adam said as he withdrew his hand from touching Dawson and took a sip himself.

Dawson sipped. He swallowed and his eyes widened. He took another sip.

"Vanilla! It's vanilla. That thing I couldn't make out before, I can taste it now. Holy shit! How did it change like that?" Dawson said in amazement as he looked at Adam.

"Witchcraft," Adam said with a deadpan look.

Both boys laughed.

"Wait 'til you try it with the aioli sauce," Adam said as he took a forkful of crab cake and dipped it in the sauce.

"How does it do that? I never knew wine could change like that," Dawson.

"It's your taste buds. The combinations of the smells and the tastes bring out the flavor in the food and the wine. Isn't it wild? And when you pair the right wine, it can radically change the way your food tastes," Adam said and then he put the forkful in his mouth.

Dawson started to smell and taste the wine in between different combinations of the crab cake with and without the sauce. He kept gasping and making satisfied sounds with each smell, sip, and taste. Adam had a satisfied grin on his face as he watched Dawson truly experience wine for the first time. When the two of them had finished the crab cakes, they sipped the rest of the wine as they waited for the next course.

"Where did you learn so much about wine?" Dawson asked.

"It was more food than wine. One of my friends in college was studying to be a chef. She would make all kinds of exotic foods for us to try. And then when she started doing these wine pairings, I was hooked," said Adam with a wistful look in his eye.

"Did you keep in touch with her after college?" Dawson asked.

Just then, Krantz came in to pour the wine for the next course.

"Yeah, she moved across the country and opened her own restaurant. I saw her last year when I went out that way. She was doing pretty well," said Adam.

The two of them continued their eating, drinking, and talking. Dawson felt a vibe coming from Adam throughout the dinner. He knew Adam was straight. But he was beginning to get the impression Adam was open to more than friendship. Dawson knew that the wine was probably skewing his perceptions of the situation. He tried to suppress his feelings. But the wine was loosening him up. He didn't say anything inappropriate, but every once in a while he would look at Adam adoringly, without realizing he was doing it.

As Krantz was pouring the wine for the dessert course, Dawson asked about using the pool.

"Krantz, when will we find out what else the conditions of class D require us to do? Adam and I want to swim tomorrow, if that's possible," Dawson said looking at Adam for confirmation.

Krantz looked at Adam with curiosity, knowing that Adam didn't go into the water.

"We are instructed to open the day's directions each morning. So, when you come down for breakfast, Niven and I will know what's in store for you that day," said Krantz and then he walked out of the room.

Krantz came back in, served the dessert course, and left the room. The boys began eating the last course. Adam's mood seemed to have dropped a bit.

"Are you ok?" Dawson asked in all sincerity, not realizing he was repeating what Adam said to him when they first met.

But Adam recognized it right away.

"Um...I was ok," Adam said with a slight chuckle.

Dawson couldn't help but chuckle when he realized what he said.

"C'mon, I'm serious. You seem more down than you were earlier," Dawson said and then took a sip of his wine.

"Sorry...I was just thinking about Vickie," Adam said.

"I'm sure she's ok," Dawson said, trying to reassure him.

"Hmm," Adam said.

Dawson suspected he was thinking about more than Vickie.

==========

If you liked this story, tell me: djwarner1984@hotmail.com And then donate to Nifty: https://donate.nifty.org/

-DJ