People were waiting for Glenn at the Atlanta FBI office. Dale Horvath, special agent of DEA Atlanta had white hair and a genial expression. He hugged Glenn as if he was a favorite grandson. Andrea was an attractive but hard-looking blonde who softened when she saw Glenn and kissed his cheek like he was her little brother or at least a nephew.
Daryl and Merle might have thought the three of them would hold hands and sing Kum Ba Yah if Glenn hadn't filled them in on the drive. A few years ago Dale and Andrea shot it out with five drug dealers. Two were dead and buried, three were wounded and currently incarcerated, Dale and Andrea were unscathed.
Daryl and Merle went on to the conference room where their bosses waited.
Victor Morales was Hispanic, a quiet almost soft-looking man with warm eyes and a pleasant smile. He loved his family and was a good husband and excellent father. But you don't become the Special Agent in charge of an FBI field office because of those qualities. Daryl admired him and Daryl could take care of himself but Daryl would not want to meet him alone if they were enemies.
Morgan Jones, in charge of ATF Atlanta, was sitting in because one of his agents was involved. Jones was a tall African American with an easy-going manner and quick, sharp eyes. As far as Daryl knew, no one ever crossed him. Merle respected him and Jones had been handling Merle for 10 years which was a good enough reference for Daryl.
The debriefing went as expected. Morales acknowledged that Daryl and Merle had been left out of the loop regarding the DEA's involvement without actually apologizing for it. The case was turned over to the prosecutors and there were handshakes all around. There would be a press conference later and a photo of the bosses as evidence of inter-agency cooperation and teamwork.
After the meeting Merle went home for a conjugal visit before the kids got out of school. Dale and Andrea were meeting with Glenn privately over lunch. Daryl was pleased when Glenn called later and asked if he wanted to see his apartment. Daryl hoped it was a euphemism like 'come up for a drink.' It was. They were on each other as soon as the door closed.
Glenn pushed Daryl down on the sofa, knelt between his legs and kept his promise to taste Daryl's cock. That morning had been momentarily satisfying but they hadn't nearly got their fill of each other yet. Daryl felt like he should be doing something in exchange but Glenn's head was the only thing he could reach. The silky black strands of hair slipped through his fingers. He tried to slow down, pull back, but Glenn was in charge and apparently it was going the way he wanted because he refused to stop. Daryl gave himself up to climax.
A minute later he was still unable to speak without gasping so he simply reached down and fumbled with Glenn's zipper, pushing down jeans and underwear, releasing Glenn's erection. This time it was Daryl who pulled Glenn's head up for a kiss, mouths open and tongues teasing as he pumped Glenn. Glenn pulled away and asked if he could come on Daryl's belly. Daryl wordlessly swung his own legs onto the sofa and lifted Glenn on top of him. Glenn pushed Daryl's shirt up and thrust as Daryl held him.
Gradually Daryl became aware that Glenn was quieter than usual. They hadn't known each other very long yet but Daryl had the impression that Glenn was a talker. "How was lunch?" he asked.
"Food was good, I guess," Glenn replied.
"What happened?"
"My undercover career is blown after only a year. I'll be too well-known after I testify."
"You didn't expect that?"
"I know I should have but I just didn't think of it. Dumb, huh?"
"It's been less than a day since all the excitement. You would have thought of it soon if they hadn't reminded you."
"Andrea's not happy. We've done some good work together and now she'll have to start over with someone new."
"What'll you do?"
"They want me to move out of the field to the office. Learn the administrative side. Become a handler in a few years. It would be a promotion."
"You don't sound thrilled."
"Would you be? Office work is dull."
"Yeah, paperwork is no field op's favorite."
"It may be time to leave the DEA."
"You're not a lifer?"
"I don't think so. I kind of fell into it and I loved the undercover stuff but that's over now. I'm not like Andrea or Horvath. All his life Dale's seen what drugs do and he's committed to the cause. Andrea was in a law practice before joining. She became a true believer after her little sister Amy overdosed in college a few years ago. I was there for the adrenaline rush."
"The trial is probably four or five months off. You have time to find out if you can't stand office work. And think about what else you want to do if you really hate it."
"You're right. I don't need to make a decision now."
Daryl decided to take Glenn's mind off work. "If you want to see where I live, maybe you could come out this weekend."
"I'd like to but I need to catch up tomorrow. Would Sunday be okay?"
"Better than tomorrow, actually. Merle and I are fixing fence."
"What about your daughter?"
"Shelby is taking the kids to visit her parents tomorrow morning. They'll be gone overnight, back for Sunday supper." Daryl hesitated. "I want you to meet her but I should tell her about you first."
Glenn smiled. "It's all right, Daryl. I want to meet her, too, eventually. But meeting family is a big deal, especially kids. Better not to rush it."
Meanwhile, having tended to carnal needs, Merle and Shelby talked about Merle's week. A daily phone call had kept Merle up-to-date on home life but of course he couldn't discuss the job.
"Daryl's got a boyfriend," Merle announced. He'd been looking forward to telling Shelby the news.
Shelby was surprised because Daryl had been such a loner the last few years. "Do you know him?"
"Yep. His name is Glenn. He's Korean."
"Are you sure they're together? Daryl does have male friends."
"It was platonic for a week but they sealed the deal this morning."
"What do you mean, this morning? You were both at the safe …" Shelby stopped. "Oh my god, he's the witness. Isn't that illegal or at least unethical?"
"Normally it would be but it turns out Glenn was undercover for the DEA. So they're both big boys."
"You approve?"
"Well, Daryl seems to like him."
"Does he know about us?"
"Daryl told him on the way to Atlanta. Now that's a conversation I'm glad I got to listen in on."
"Wow, they're moving right along. Sounds as if you like this Glenn."
"He's all right. Hope I don't have to hurt him."
"What do you mean?"
"If he breaks Daryl's heart."
"You leave their relationship alone."
"I intend to. Unless Glenn fucks Daryl over in a bad way instead of a good way. My brother may be a fag but I'm the only one who gets to mess with him."
"What if Daryl behaves badly?"
"I don't think that'll happen but I guess if Daryl does wrong, I'll have to kick his ass."
"Well, I don't mean to deprive you of the opportunity for violence but I hope this works out because Daryl deserves it." Shelby looked worried. "I wonder how Taffy will take it."
"It'll be fine." Merle recalled how Glenn was greeted that morning. "Everybody loves him."
Glenn arrived at the Dixon brothers' acreage Sunday morning. Their homes fronted on different roads but were at a corner so the houses were quite close together with an orchard between and outbuildings farther back.
"That's a big barn," Glenn observed.
"More like a stable."
"You have horses?"
"Three," Daryl replied. "You ride?"
"All my life. Well, in Michigan. Not so much since I moved here. I've gone to a riding stable a few times."
"Riding is a great way to see the property," Daryl said, so they saddled up.
Glenn learned that Daryl and Merle owned 40 acres of mostly pastureland with some scattered woods and a stream meandering through the far side of the property. The houses were ranch style, less than 20 years old. Daryl's was the smaller one since he was the only occupant most of the time but there were three bedrooms so the kids could each have one.
Merle was grilling when they returned and invited them to lunch.
"You didn't go to your in-laws?" Glenn asked.
"It's October. Holidays are coming up. I'll see 'em then."
"Merle, is it possible you don't get along with your in-laws?" Having spent a week in close company with Merle, Glenn felt comfortable asking awkward questions.
"We get along fine. Because I only see them at holidays."
"What about you, Daryl? Did you get along with them when you were married?"
"Just fine. Because I was on another continent most of the time."
"Do Shelby's parents not care for the Dixons?" Glenn teased.
"Seem to like the grandkids," Merle said.
"But the brothers not so much," Daryl finished.
A little later Daryl and Glenn finally did it in a bed. Afterwards Glenn lay looking at Daryl. "You have a great body."
Daryl shrugged. "I'm pretty beat up."
"Mmm, the scars and bullet hole do add to the overall effect. But you don't look like a gym rat."
Daryl scoffed. "I don't work out, I work. I grew up throwing bales of hay around and hauling feed. Still do on my time off."
"I'm fairly strong for my size but I don't look it."
"You'd look terrible all bulked up. Your body is perfect like this, lean and tight. You know, I was watching your ass as you walked to that motel room. That's why I went after you."
"So you saved my ass. Literally."
"Thought I might have a use for it."
They lay together for awhile, pleased with themselves. It was one of those moments at the start of a relationship when you feel like something very good is happening. Everything was possible.