There was a knock at the door and someone shouted, “Bags are here!”

“Great, I can’t wait to get out of these clothes,” said Marc.

“Are you in a hurry to shed your clothes?” asked an amused Lance.

“No!  I just need a shower.  Running between the arena and bus all day and Pete’s little test, I just feel kind of in the need of a shower,”  said Marc.

They separated and each went out into the hall to gather their bags.  They each came out of their own room not wanting to give any hotel employee a reason for gossip.  Seeing only Nsync security in the hall Marc grabbed his bags and took a shortcut through Lance’s room.  Placing his bags down, he heard Lance trying to come through the door with his bags.  “Hey, wait a minute.  Where do you think  you’re going with those?” asked Marc.

“I’m trying to get into the room,” said Lance.

“Don’t you have your own room?”  asked  Marc.

“I thought we were together,” said Lance a little confused.

“We are.  But you need to keep your stuff in your room.   We don’t want housekeeping to start talking.”

Finally understanding what Marc meant, Lance took his bags back into his room and started to unpack.

Marc also began to unpack what he would need for the next two days.  Going to the desk, he setup his laptop hooking into the dedicated line at the desk.  Booting up the computer he logged on and checked his e-mail.  Not seeing anything interesting, Marc went to the bathroom and started to fill the tub. 

Lance heard water running from Marc’s room and decided a quick shower would feel good before going to bed.  Going to his bathroom, he started the shower adjusting the water temperature.  Undressing, Lance entered the steamy shower, stepping under the shower head he started to shampoo his hair.

Marc had filled his tub and started the jets then he went out to get a pair of sleeping shorts.  Hearing the shower from the other room, Marc smiled as he undressed.  Marc walked into  Lance’s bathroom and he could see Lance shampooing his hair.  Opening the shower door, Marc stepped in .  Lance felt a wave of cool air as the door opened.  With eyes closed to keep the shampoo out, Lance  reached for the door to close it but all he was able to find was Marc’s hairy chest.

“What’s going on?” asked Lance.

“It’s only me,” said Marc.  “I’ve come to help you wash your hair.”

“Marc, I thought we agreed that we weren't going to rush into sex,” said Lance.

“This isn’t sex.  It’s called shampooing your hair.  Now keep your eyes closed,” said Marc as he started to work up a good lather in Lance’s hair. 

 “That feels so good, don’t stop,”  Lance moaned.

“I have to.  It’s time to rinse,” Marc said as he took Lance by the shoulders and turned him into the shower spray.  Rinsing out all the shampoo, Marc pulled him out from under the spray and squeezed out the excess water from his hair.  Taking the bottle of conditioner Marc worked a good portion into his hair.

“Now don’t rinse that out for a few minutes,” said  Marc.

“What am I suppose to do? Just stand here with my eyes closed?”  asked Lance.

“Yes,” said Marc.  “Now turn around.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.  You’ll like it,” said Marc as he took a bath puff and added some shower jell.  Starting at Lance’s shoulders, Marc  began to wash Lance’s back.

“Oh, I like this,”  said Lance.

Working up a good lather, Marc worked across Lance’s shoulders then down each arm.  Lifting each arm, Marc washed the underside of each, working his way down  Lance’s side, taking extra precaution not to tickle him.  Working his way to  Lance’s lower back, Marc took extra time washing Lance’s firm butt making sure every crevice was cleaned.  Crouching, Marc worked his way down the back of each leg to the feet. 

“Okay, now turn around,” said Marc.

Lance was  hesitant about turning around.

“Come on, James, turn around.”

Slowly Lance turned around, revealing the reason why he was hesitant. .  Marc smiled at Lance’s aroused state as he began to wash his feet and work his way up Lance’s legs.

Pushing on Lance’s inside thigh, Marc said, “Spread your feet apart a little more.”

Spreading his feet further apart, Lance felt Marc continue his trek up the inside of his leg  then down the other not touching his scrotum.  Marc  then went to work on  Lance’s lower stomach and slowly worked his way up Lance’s chest to his shoulders.

Holding Lance by his shoulders, Marc moved him under the showerhead. “Now rinse.” 

As Lance rinsed the conditioner out of his hair Marc took the handheld showerhead and rinsed the lather off Lance’s body.

Stepping out of the spray, Lance was finally able to open his eyes.  He gazed upon Marc’s smiling face. 

Marc leaned in and gave Lance a tender kiss.  “Thank you, James.”

“Why are you thinking me?  You’re the one I should be thanking.  That felt so good.”

“I was thanking you for your. . .A hum   approval,” said Marc as he glanced down at Lance’s erection.

Lance looked down and smiled.  “It seems you are enjoying it too,”  referring to Marc’s own erection.  “Now it’s my turn to shampoo your hair.”

Lance shampooed Marc’s hair massaging every inch of Marc’s scalp.

“You know you can do that all night,”  said Marc.

“Yeah, you'd like that wouldn’t you?  Now rinse,” said Lance.

Marc turned into the shower rinsing out the shampoo.  Turning back, Lance had the conditioner ready and quickly worked it into Marc’s hair.

“Turn around and let me wash your back,” said Lance.

Marc did as he was told,  and Lance went to work washing his back.  “I’ve never known anyone with so many back muscles,”  said Lance.

“You have the same muscles, you just have to develop them.”

“Your upper body is really developed, why?”

“It started during physical therapy, after the coma my muscles had lost most function.  I had to learn how to do everything.  As my leg healed, I  then had to learn to walk again.  I got interested in gymnastics  working on the parallel bars while learning to walk again.”

“Did you ever compete?”

“No, never got into it that seriously.  I did it because I enjoyed it”

Lance had worked his way down to Marc’s feet.  “Okay, turn around.”

Marc turned and Lance started working his way up Marc’s legs.  Marc noticed Lance had been washing the same spot for awhile.  “James, that spot won’t get any cleaner.  What are you doing?”

“Just getting to know you better,” said Lance with a smile. “Marc, it just dawned on me, you don’t have a tan line.”

“You usually don’t when you don’t wear any clothes around the house.”

“But you don’t tan inside the house.”

“Right, why do you think my house is so far from the road and hidden by all those trees.”

Lance smiled at Marc’s answer.  “I know you wear shorts when you run; shouldn’t your butt be a little lighter?”

Marc just grinned down at Lance not saying anything.

Lance’s eyes got big.  “You don’t!”

Marc nodded.  “Once you get over the first hill there’s no problem.  I’ve only seen one person on the firebreaks.  And that was the forest ranger and I heard him coming.  My shorts have Velcro on the sides, I can take them off or put them on in about five seconds.”

Lance just shook his head as he continue to wash Marc’s six pack, being sure to wash every crevice and ridge.  Working his way up to  Marc’s pectoral muscles taking pleasure at washing Marc’s nipples and watching them get hard.

“James, you’re being bad,” said a smiling Marc.

“Who me?” answered Lance with a sly smile.  Finishing with Marc’s chest, Lance grabbed the hand sprayer and started to rinse Marc off.

Marc leaned in and rinsed the conditioner out of his hair, turning as Lance turned off  the sprayer.  Taking  Lance’s face between his hands, Marc pulled Lance close, their lips touching in a soft kiss.  Lance wrapped his arms around Marc’s waist, pulling their bodies together, grinding their erections between their bodies.  Lance’s breathing quickened as his started to probe Marc’s warm mouth.  Marc pulled Lance closer to him as he slowly turned Lance into the warm stream of the showerhead, letting the water flow over their bodies. 

Placing a hand on the back of Lance’s head, Marc kissed him deeply.  Reaching for the knob of the shower Marc flipped it to the coldest setting  then held Lance tight.  Five seconds later, Lance tensed as the cold water hit him in the back and he screamed from the sudden change.  But no one  except Marc knew it, having muffled the sound with his own mouth.  Turning so the cold water flowed over both of them, Marc finally broke the kiss.

“Oh shit, that’s cold,”  said Lance.

Smiling, Marc turned moving Lance out of the stream of cold water, letting it fall over his back.  “I told you, you  were being bad.  And we both were getting too worked up.”

“Yeah, another five minutes and I would have cum,” said Lance.

“I wouldn’t have lasted five minutes,” said Marc.  “But, James, that would have only getting our rocks off because of lust.  And that would have been wrong.  When we do it, I want it to be because we both feel it’s right, and I want to make long, slow, love to you.”

Reaching behind Marc, Lance turned the water off.   Then pulling Marc’s lips to his, they kiss oh so gently.  “That’s the way I want it too, babe.”

Pulling back and looking at Lance with a questioning look.  “Babe?  Who are you calling Babe?”

“Why you.”

“No. No. No ‘babe’ shit.   No cute names.” 

“But why?”

“Pet names sound so stupid.”

“But you call me James.”

“That’s your name.  James is the person I fell in love with.  Lance is a celebrity who, though very cute, has nothing on my James,” said Marc.   “Now let’s get dried off and to bed.”

As they dried off Lance was thinking.  “How about Prince Charming?”  he said with a smile.

“That one belongs only to Sara.  What’s wrong with Marc?”  he said as he threw the towel over his shoulder and walked out of the bathroom.

Following Marc into his room, Lance was about to ask about another name when he heard something running.  “Marc, what’s that noise?”

“Oh shit!  I forgot about the whirlpool,” said Marc as he went into his bath.

Lance walked over to the desk and noticed an instant message flashing on the computer screen.  “Marc, you got a message.”

“Who from?”
 

From: Not a Angel
To: Phoenix Rising
Are you still up?

Turning off the jets and  emptying the tub Marc returned smiling.  “I was hoping she would call.”

“Who is ‘angel’?”  asked Lance.

“An old friend,”  said Marc as he sat down at the computer.

Phoenix Rising
Hi Angel girl.  Did you get my package?  Oh by the way I’m not alone.
 

Not a Angel
Viking?
_______________________________________________________________
 

“Viking? “  Lance quizzed.

“Joey.  Actually it started out as Eric the Red, but I shortened it to Viking.”

Phoenix Rising
No.  The Colonel.

Not a Angel
Oh.  New roommate?

Phoenix Rising
Yes. ; )

Not a Angel
Your choice?

Phoenix Rising
Yes, our choice.

Not a Angel
Good for you. 

“Marc, how much does she know?”

Phoenix Rising
Colonel wants to know how much you know.

Not a Angel
Marc, I take it you have not mentioned me to them.  Colonel, Marc and I have been friends for two years.  He is my best friend and we tell each other everything.

Phoenix Rising
Angel, the Colonel has just turned white.  Please tell him I never identified who my friends were!!!!

Not a Angel
Rest easy,  Marc would not tell me who he was with. 

Phoenix Rising
I think you figured it out.  Right?

Not a Angel
Of course,  it was not hard.  I can check the  Internet for schedules.   You’re Kevin from the Back Street Boys.  Right?

“What!”  said Lance a little surprised.
Marc just laughed at his reaction.

Phoenix Rising
Girl  you’re being bad, and getting me in trouble.

Not a Angel
Who me!  Would I do that?

Phoenix Rising
Yes, you would.  Now get me out of trouble.

Not a Angel
Okay.  Marc only told me he met new friends, Viking, Colonel, Pops, Smooth, and Bounce.  And knowing who Marc’s favorite band is.  It was not  too hard to figure out.  Anyway, you were all in Madison last week.
_______________________________________________________________

“Pops?”  asked Lance.

“Chris.”

“Smooth?”

“Josh.”

“And Bounce has to be Justin,”  said Lance with a smile.

Phoenix Rising
Not wanting to change the subject, I take it you got my package?

Not a Angel
Yes! I received it first thing this morning.  I have watched it twice.   You were so hot.    You looked different from the photo you sent me.

Phoenix Rising
The guys thought I needed an image makeover. 

Not a Angel
It worked, you are so cute.

“Cute,” Lance laughed.

Phoenix Rising
Girl, why did you have to say cute.  Colonel thinks cute is funny.

Not a Angel
Sorry. I should have said very handsome.

Phoenix Rising
That’s better.  Anyway Colonel is cute.

Lance gave Marc a poke in the side.

Not a Angel
Mum just called I have to go.  Thanks again for the video.

Phoenix Rising
I’m glad you liked it.  Can I tell Colonel who you are?

Not a Angel
No.  Let me remain a mystery.  Let’s see how long it takes him to figure it out.

Phoenix Rising
Okay.  Girl, you do know how to make my life miserable.  For that I may have to tell Colonel you have a crush on Bounce.  Later. Bye.

Marc shut down his computer and turned to find Lance sitting on the bed deep in thought.

Smiling, Marc went into the other room and turned out the lights.  Coming back into the room, he turned out all the lights except for the one next to the bed.  Pulling the covers down, he noticed Lance still in thought.   Crawling up behind Lance, he leaned in and started nibbling on Lance’s ear sending a shiver through him.  Happy with the effect Marc softly asked, “You coming to bed or are you going to stay up?”

“I’m coming to bed.  Let me get some shorts on.”

“Why?” said Marc with a sly smile, as he climbed under the covers.

“Something tells me nudity is going to become the dress of the day in our room.”

“As long as we keep the doors locked I can’t see any problem,” Marc replied, pulling back the covers and patting the bed next to him.  “Come on, it’s late.”

Coming around, Lance got into bed snuggling up to Marc.  Folding his arms around Lance, Marc noticed Lance was a little tense.  “James,  if this makes you too uncomfortable, there’s a pair of shorts on the chair.”

Moving deeper into Marc’s arms, Lance said, “No, it’s all right.” 

“Good night, James.”

“Good night, Phoenix.”

Rolling his eyes, Marc said, “I give up.”

Later that night Lance awoke with a need to use the bathroom.  He slipped  out of Marc’s arms.

“What’s wrong?”  Marc asked sleepily.

“Need to go to the bathroom.  Go back to sleep.”

Stretching and yawning, "Ok.  Meet you in the other bed.”

“Why?”

“Both beds need to be slept in.  Meet you there.”

As Lance went into the bathroom, Marc went to the other room and climbed into the bed.  Lance found Marc sleeping on his side in the middle of the bed.  Crawling in behind him, Lance wrapped his arms around Marc.  Feeling Lance make body contact Marc shifted so he was wrapped in his guy’s arms.  Lance gave Marc a soft kiss on the back of the neck, causing goose bumps to appear all over Marc.  “Oops  sorry,” Lance whispered.

Marc let out a sigh, “It’s a good thing I love you.  Or you’d find yourself sleeping on the floor.”

There was a ringing coming from the other room.  Lance stirred softly saying.  “What’s that noise?”

Marc yawned, and said,  “It’s the alarm, it’s time to get going.”

Rolling out of bed, Marc headed for his room,  stopping at the door looking back at the bed.  Lance had curled up and  gone back to sleep.  Turning back Marc grabbed the blankets  and pulled them completely off.

“Hey!”  cried  Lance.

“Get moving.  I’m not going to get blamed for you being late,”  said Marc.

“Okay,  I’m moving.  Where are you going?” 

“To my room for a quick shower.”

Smiling slyly,  “Can I wash your back?”

“You would like that,”  Marc smiled.  “But we’ll be late if you do.”

Lance sat there with his lower lip stuck out in a pout.

“Now don’t give me that face.  You’ll just have to wait until tonight.  Now get moving!”

Sticking his head out his door, Marc checked the hall to see who was there.  Turning back as Lance closed the adjoining doors and locked them.  “It’s clear,”  he told Lance.

They both walked across the hall to the common room for breakfast.  Everyone was there but JC.  “Morning, guys,”  said Marc.

“Morning,” they all said.

“Are we early or is JC late?”  asked Lance.

“He’s up,”  said Chris.  “He’s on the phone.”

Marc smiled to himself. ‘I will hate to see his long-distance phone bill at the end of the tour.’

JC came in with a big smile on his face, and in a great mood.  Lance gave Marc a knowing look.

“Marc what have you got planned for today?”  asked Joey.

“Well, I’m planning on staying here and working on the web site this morning.   Then I have a meeting this afternoon.”

“We should be done around six, how about we meet back here  then go get something to eat and hit a few clubs?”

“Sounds like a plan,”  said Marc.

The food carts showed up and everyone dug in.  As they ate, Marc watched Justin.  He was not his chipper self.  It finally dawned on Marc that tonight's plan's would not include Justin past dinner.  There was no way he was going to be allowed into any clubs. 

Lance had been watching Marc as they ate breakfast.  Seeing him glancing at Justin,  then getting the look of him trying to figure something out.

As they were finishing up, Pete came in.  “Are we ready?  The limo will be here in five minutes.”

Everyone got up and headed for the elevator.  Lance stayed back to talk to Marc.  “Have a good day, and enjoy your meeting,”  he said with a smile.

“Meeting?”  questioned Marc.

“Yeah, the mysterious meeting this afternoon.  Have fun.”

“Oh, that meeting.  I plan too,”  Marc said, wondering if Lance had figured out what he was up to.

Leaning in, Lance gave Marc a kiss.  “Hope you can figure out what we can do with Justin tonight.”

Surprised at Lance’s statement, Marc asked,  “Now  you’re reading my mind?”

Lance gave Marc another quick kiss, grinned,  turned and headed for the elevator.

Returning to his room Marc, booted his computer and  logged on to one of his remote sites as he prepared himself for a morning of work on the animations for the web site.  An hour later, his instant  messenger kicked in with an invitation for a chat.

From: Holy Roller
To: Phoenix Rising
Marc, do you have time to talk?
 

Phoenix Rising
Do I know you?  How did you get my I D?
 

Holy Roller
Sara gave me your I D.  Tried to call you but the hotel would not put me through.
 

Phoenix Rising
Andy?
 

Holy Roller
Bingo.  Call me.  555-2749
 

Phoenix Rising
Okay,  I’m dialing now.

Marc dialed the number.  “Good morning St. John’s.”

“Good morning, I’d like to talk to Andy,  Father Andrew please.  This is Marc Newman calling.”

“One moment, Mr. Newman.  Father Andrew is expecting your call.”

“Hey, Marc, glad you could call.”

“Hi, Andy.  What’s up?”

“I was hoping we could get together for lunch.”

“That would be great, I have an appointment at one.  How about a early lunch, say eleven?”

“That would be fine.  Why don’t I meet you at your hotel?  The grill has fantastic food.”

“Sounds good, Andy, see you at eleven.”
 
 

TBC