I have to go in, you could come in with me and wait just like a good boyfriend." Half seriously he added, "that way I could keep an eye on your ass, and make sure you behave yourself. Now come, let's get a move on; we have a lot to do today. First, I want to take you to see Rockefeller Plaza. Second, we can pick up your kit and drop it off at the apartment. Third, we are going to visit a lady I know that lives in the harbor. I hear that she just loves having her fighting men visit her."

"You mean the Statue of Liberty?" Joseph inquired.

"You bet your sweet ass, that's who I mean." Sheepishly Richard commented, "I've lived in New York all my life and just like 85% of the people here, I have never been to see her. You see what you are doing to me Joseph, you're turning me into a tourist and believe it or not I'm as excited as you. I'm having the time of my life."

Thus began a fantastic fun filled day that would find them, at sun down, holding hands at the Statue of Liberty, looking out at the busy harbor. "I know a place to eat that's right in Central Park," Richard yawned, "sorry about the yawn, but it's been a busy day and I can not think of a better way to end it, than having dinner and a horse drawn carriage ride."

They took a cab up to the restaurant, had dinner, and then went outside to where the carriage ride began. After Joseph arranged the price they got in and the driver pulled away from the curb. Sitting back in the seat, Richard pulled Joseph to him and kissed him. The two of them snuggled and let their fingers do the talking for them. They continued to hold hands and their lips met in small sweet kisses. The clip klop, clip klop, sound of the horse's hooves on the pavement added to the romance of the evening but all too soon the ride was over. The two of them, almost unable to contain themselves and acting like a pair of love starved teenagers, hurried back to the apartment. The prospect of making love, in private to each other, made them lose all sense of decorum.

Once inside the apartment, Richard and Joseph embraced and started to frantically undress each other. Shirts were pulled off and thrown into the air. One landed on top of the lampshade the other on the floor. Hands and fingers grasped, touched and pulled off the others under shirts and pants. Richard pushed Joseph into the easy chair and pulled off his shoes and socks, then opened his belt, unzipped his fly, and pulled down his pants. The pants went flying through the air and landed on the kitchenette sink. Richard stepped back, surveyed the picture of the young soldier laying there stripped to his BVDs. He fell to the floor in front of him and started to strip off his own shoes and socks. He opened his belt and unzipped. Joseph's fingers grabbed his trouser legs and pulled them slowly off his body. Both men were now clad only in underpants. Their eyes locked on each other. Their arms wound around each other in a tight passionate embrace, each feeling the heat of the others arousal. Their lips wanted to say things but instead quickly found and joined together in a long and passionate kiss, tongues entwined.