Over the next month and a half, Dale and Michael really slowed their relationship down. Dale spent a lot of time at Mikey’s but it was mainly as a friend and a helping hand around the house and with the girls. A routine had been found and life was slowly returning to normal around the Waltrip house, or atleast as normal as it could be for losing their wife and mother.
Dale and Mikey went out a few times. They considered them dates but to the rest of the word they just looked like one friend helping another move on. Michael kept the nanny he had before, she just started helping a little more than she use to, which left a little bit of time for Dale and Michael.
Dale and Mikey quickly found themselves back at the one track where it seemed their lives were always turned upside down at. Speedweeks were in full swing and Dale found himself feeling reminiscent. He walked into the Napa garage, "Hey Slugger, where’s Mikey?"
"He just headed to his coach."
"Oh, how is the car?"
"Great actually, we had some great laps in practice."
"Cool, we need a few adjustments but should be good by the 500. How was Michael doing?"
"Ok, I think he’s really missing Buffy today. The first race especially the 500 has to be rough."
"Yeah, this track has so much history for all of us. Think he is up for visitors?"
"Not too many but he’d be ok with you I’m sure."
"Cool, thanks, later." Dale turned and headed to Michael’s coach. He knocked softly and when he didn’t get an answer he tried the knob. "Mikey? You here?" He heard movement from the back of the coach. "Mikey?"
"Dale?" He heard a groggy voice.
"Yeah, did I wake you? I can go."
"No, come in."
Dale stepped in, locking the door behind him and headed towards the bedroom. "Slugger said you just headed over here. You sure you weren’t asleep. I can come back later." Dale stopped at the sight in front of him.
Michael had just stepped out of the shower and had nothing but a towel wrapped around him. He wiped at his eyes. He obviously had been crying. "No, thinking about a nap before I have to get Macy and Caitlyn but I was just getting cooled off." He sat on the edge of the bed.
Dale tried to focus on his red eyes and not his wet chest. "You ok? You don’t have to hide it from me." He sat next to him.
"Yeah, just been a rough week and I guess it caught up to me. I thought racing would help take my mind off things. Instead it’s made me miss having her here even more."
"You know I am here for you, to talk or just sit here in silence with you."
"I know June, thanks." He laid his hand on Dale’s thigh as he laid back on the bed.
Dale looked at the hand on his thigh, felt the searing heat generating from it. "Not now Dale." he thought to himself. Suddenly aware that it had been over 3 months since he had gotten that release he so wanted Mikey to give him. He looked back at Mikey, trying to decide what to do. He wanted to be there for his friend but he really only had one thing on his mind right now.
Michael noticed how tense Dale was. "What’s wrong?"
"Nothing. I think I had better go." He stood and walked out of the bedroom.
"Dale?" Michael stood holding the towel at his waist. "Dale? What’s up?"
Dale grinned at Michael’s choice of words. "Don’t ask." He muttered.
"What? Dale what the hell is wrong?"
Dale stopped just in front of the door. He stood his back to Michael, weighing his options closely. "Oh, fuck it." He turned and before Michael knew what had happened Dale’s mouth was on his own.
Michael was slightly shocked, not realizing Dale was ready to step their relationship up but he had to admit he missed the taste and feel of him on his lips. Michael’s hands went to Dale’s neck and his waist and pulled him closer. Dale’s hands were traveling the length of Michael’s back.
"Oh, Mikey." Dale uttered as Michael’s lips traveled down his jaw to his neck. Michael was hesitant to continue not wanting to upset Dale. He stepped away from Dale and when he did the towel dropped to the floor. He sat down and reached for the towel at the same time as Dale did.
Dale grinned as he tossed the towel out of Michael’s reach. "What you doing, June?" Dale knelt on the floor in front of Michael. He pushed him backwards on the couch and started kissing his inner thigh. He ran his fingers up his outer thigh and heard Michael’s breathing quicken. He gently kissed the tip of his manhood and felt Michael’s body shake from his touch.
"You sure about this Dale?"
Dale looked up at him passion in his eyes. "More than anything."
"Ok then." Michael leaned forward and pulled Dale’s tee over his head. He then stood pulling Dale up with him. Dale looked confused but started figuring it out as the zipper to his fire suit was pulled the rest of the way down and it was pulled from his body. Michael walked them back to the bedroom and gave Dale another chance out. "Dale, tell me if you aren’t 100%."
Dale looked at him and then removed his own boxers. He sat down on the bed, scooting to the top and laying back. Michael took this as his invitation and crawled onto the bed towards him. His mouth dropped kisses from his navel all the way up to his waiting lips. He ran his tongue along his ear and Dale’s body shook from the heat of his breath. Michael didn’t want to rush him, it had been a while and he didn’t want Dale to feel out of control. "Tonight is about you, baby. I am going to make everthing up to you. I promise." He whispered.
He spent the next several minutes teasing Dale’s body with his kisses, fingers, and tongue. Dale clutched the sheets in his hands and thought he couldn’t take much more but he realized just how much more Michael had in mind as he felt his tongue trace the tip of him. He dropped small kisses up and down Dale’s shaft as one hand dropped to massage his balls. "Mikey." Dale breathed. "God, Mikey." Dale felt pressure at his opening and as Michael’s mouth took him in, his fingers gently massaged his prostate. Dale knew that this would be over quicker than it began. It had been too long, he was too turned on, and he was too much in love. "Mikey, I can’t stop it."
Michael held Dale’s hips still as he felt his release slide down the back of his throat. He slid up the bed and laid beside Dale, gently massaging his arms and shoulders trying to help calm him down. He studied his face, noticed the new lines that had appeared around his eyes, smiled at how he still bit at his lower lip as he was coming back down from his high. "You ok?" He asked propped up on one elbow and peering down at him.
Dale finally opened his eyes and peered straight into those blue eyes that always made him smile. "I am perfect." He leaned up and let his tongue glide over Michael’s bottom lip. He rolled over ontop of him and ground his hips against Michael’s.
Michael rolled them back over, so that Dale was under him and pressed his tongue into his mouth. He finally pulled away. "Uh Uh, not tonight." Dale looked at him confused. "I told you this is all about you tonight and I don’t think we should rush things too much."
"Mikey, it’s ok, I am fine."
"I know, but I still don’t want to rush this. Ok?"
Dale smiled. He knew Michael was partly looking out for him and partly protecting himself and his family; and it was ok. "Ok. God I just want to stay in your arms tonight."
"Dale."
"I know you have to go get the girls for dinner. It’s ok. This is that taking it slow and understanding your family comes first part." Michael looked at him questionly. "Really, it’s ok." He sat up and kissed him before reaching for his clothes. They got dressed and headed back towards the front of the coach. Dale caught a glimpse of a photo of Buffy and the girls out of the corner of his eye.
Michael noticing what he was looking at, quickly pressed Dale against the door and kissed him passionately. "I have so missed being able to do that."
"So have I." Dale unlocked the door and stepped out onto the bottom step. "Thanks Mikey. I will see you tomorrow." He said sadly.
Michael watched him disappear towards his own coach before he headed to the kids center. He knew Dale felt used, talk about blow him and leave him. He hadn’t planned on anything happening, he didn’t have time. Dale started it. Of course Dale assumed they were going to sleep together, not just get off and go. He wanted to be there with him, wanted to fall asleep in his arms and wake him up with his kisses. A million thoughts raced through his head as Macy ran into his arms. He lifted her and put his free arm around Caitlyn. He realized that he had to figure out a way to make this work. He loved his girls more than life but he loved Dale too and didn’t want to let him go, wouldn‘t let him go. He would figure out a way to give Dale what he needed, hell, get what he needed without making either of them feel cheap.
Dale made it too his coach and walked into the dark bedroom. He fell on to the bed and stared at the ceiling. He knew Michael didn’t mean to make him feel the way he did, but he felt cheap none the less. He knew he couldn’t stay, he had the girls and he understood that but he thought that the first time they were intimate in 3 months would have ended in more than just a blow job. If this was all he was going to get from Mikey then maybe love wouldn’t be enough.