Ricky's Business

Ricky’s Business

A Ravenous Romance™ Original Publication

by Ryan Field

A Ravenous Romance™ Original Publication www.ravenousromance.com

Copyright © 2010 by Ryan Field Ravenous Romance™ 100 Cummings Center Suite 123A Beverly, MA 01915 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher, except by reviewers who may quote brief excerpts in connection with a review. ISBN-13: 978-1-60777-371-9 This book is a work of fiction, and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

Chapter One

On Friday nights, Ricky Daley often played cards with his best friend, Leyland O’Brian, instead of going out on dates with girls. They were both seniors in their last semester of high school: old enough to know better, but still too young to know how to get what they wanted. So they passed the time playing spades and listening to music instead of cruising around town with the other kids from school. Sometimes they played canasta, but Leyland had a tendency to steal wild cards when Ricky wasn’t looking, and it wasn’t as easy to cheat with spades. They’d been best friends since their first year in high school. Ricky was dark-haired, athletic, and muscular, with slightly bowed legs and a firm, round derriere that often provoked second and third glances. His straight brown hair fell across his forehead in loose shocks and the hollow spaces below his cheeks turned into dimples whenever he smiled. He was on the football team, baseball team, and basketball team and still managed to rank among the highest in his class. Leyland, on the other hand, was ten pounds overweight, had bushy brown hair, and legs shaped like the letter X. His derriere was square and flat. When he wore corduroy slacks, his thighs rubbed together and made a swishing sound. He’d never thrown a football, a baseball, or bounced a basketball in his life. And when he took an exam, there were always cheat sheets tucked under his sleeve. If it hadn’t been for the fact they were both gay, they wouldn’t have had anything in common. Though they’d never had sex with each other—nor would they ever—this was enough to form a strong bond of friendship. Living in a small suburban subdivision in northern New

Jersey, where eighteen-year-old high school guys didn’t date other guys, left them with nothing but dreams and fantasies. They never denied being gay. They just didn’t talk about it openly with anyone other than themselves. Despite all the changes happening within the lgbt community, lgbt teenagers couldn’t walk down the hallways in their schools and hold hands like straight kids did. So while Ricky and Leyland played cards on Friday nights, they often laughed and joked about their frustrations and talked about what they wished their lives could be like. One particular Friday night in the early spring, Ricky slipped an e-cigarette into his mouth and looked at his cards. He wasn’t a smoker and there wasn’t any nicotine in the ecigarette, but it made him feel older to pretend he was smoking. They were playing canasta that night and Ricky was wearing dark sunglasses. He’d put them on so he could watch Leyland closely. Ricky wanted to make sure Leyland wasn’t stuffing wild cards—jokers and deuces— into his shirt pocket when Ricky wasn’t looking. Ricky picked up a small pile of cards in the center of the table that had been topped with the black four of spades Leyland had just discarded. Then Ricky pulled three more fours from his hand and set them down, with two fifty-point wild cards and Leyland’s black four of spades to make his meld. The cards hadn’t been coming to Ricky that night and Leyland already had two canastas and a red three. And Leyland didn’t seem to be cheating, so Ricky had to make a move. Leyland was only holding two cards in his hand. If Ricky didn’t put something down on the table, Leyland could go out and leave him holding a handful of wild cards. “That was lame,” Leyland said, looking down at the cards Ricky was showing. “Four shitty fours and two jokers? I’ve seen better melds with the old ladies in my grandmother’s card club.”

Ricky shrugged. “I didn’t have a choice. I have to get rid of some cards if I’m going to beat your ass.” He was bluffing now. He wanted Leyland to think he had great cards. “Dream on, baby,” Leyland said, clucking his tongue. Ricky discarded a red queen and quirked his eyebrows. He knew it was a tricky card to set down, but he didn’t have anything else to offer. Leyland lurched forward and seized the red queen, added it to the two other queens he was holding in his hand, and slapped all three down on the table at the same time. “I’m out.” Ricky looked down at Leyland’s cards and frowned. He looked at his own cards and shook his head. He was holding a handful of wild cards plus three aces, and he only had six cards down on the table that added up to one hundred and twenty points. There had to be at least two hundred points in his hand that would now be deducted from his score. And the measly points on the table would barely even cover it. After they counted their points and Ricky dealt out a new hand, Leyland fanned his cards and smiled. “Thanks for giving me such a great hand again this time. It’s giving me an erection.” “You’re full of shit,” Ricky said. He knew when Leyland was bluffing because his right eyebrow twitched. When Ricky cursed out loud it sounded awkward and forced. No matter how hard he tried to sound cool and casual, foul words always seemed to get stuck in his throat and flatten as they passed his lips. “I’m gonna kick your butt with this hand, buddy. You should see my cards.” “Yeah, dream on, asshole,” Leyland said. He picked up the first card and discarded a black six of clubs. When Leyland cursed, it sounded natural and easy. “Speaking of dreams,” Ricky said, “I had an interesting one last night.”

Leyland sat forward and rested his elbows on the table. His lips parted and he started to breathe heavier. “Tell me about it.” Ricky smiled and discarded a black three. He knew now much Leyland loved listening to his sex dreams. Sometimes he became so excited his right leg started to vibrate. “I don’t know if I should. My mom and dad might come in.” They were playing in Ricky’s basement. His mother and father had gone out to a movie and left them in the house alone. They sometimes asked him why he didn’t date girls, but never thought to ask if he was gay. “They won’t be back soon.” Leyland leaned forward and bit his bottom lip. “Tell me about the dream. Tell me everything.” He picked up a card and discarded another black three. Ricky held up his cards and pretended to look at them through the dark glasses. But he was really looking at Leyland’s face. Leyland was still leaning forward on the edge of his seat, waiting for Ricky to tell him about his dream. So Leyland lowered his voice to almost a whisper and said, “It all starts after football practice. The other guys go into the locker room to change and shower, and I stay outside and run laps for about a half hour. I’m wearing all my gear and it’s hot outside. By the time I stop running, I’m dripping with sweat and my entire body is on fire.” He stopped talking long enough to pick up a new card and discard another. But Leyland wasn’t playing anymore. He put down his cards and laced his fingers together on top of the table. “Go on, tell me more.” His tongue was practically hanging from his mouth. “What happens next? I want details.” Ricky smiled. Leyland’s eyes were glazed and his leg was starting to vibrate. “I cool down for a minute and adjust my dick. It’s all sweaty and hot and stuck in my jock strap. My balls are all squashed up and I rub them a few times to give them some air.”

Leyland pressed his palm to his throat and licked his lips. Though they’d never had sex, Ricky often thought Leyland was attracted to him. In fact, he’d seen Leyland checking his crotch out many times when he thought Ricky wasn’t looking. “After that,” Ricky said, “I jog into the locker room. All I can think about is ripping off my gear, getting totally naked, and taking a shower. There’s no one left in the locker room. All the other guys have gone home and it’s almost dead quiet. But when I take off my gear, I hear one of the showers turn on. I’m standing there in nothing but a sweaty jock strap, listening to the water run. There’s no other sound in the locker room.” “It’s the coach, isn’t it?” Leyland asked. “This is another coach dream.” He rubbed his palms together. “Oh, I love your coach dreams.” The football coach at their school was in his late twenties, had a lean muscular body, and thought nothing of walking around naked in the locker room in front of the other guys. Though Ricky had only seen six inches of the coach’s flaccid dick flopping around, he’d imagined it expanding into a nine-inch erection many times. But this dream wasn’t about his coach. “It’s not the coach dream,” Ricky said. “This one is even better.” Leyland took a quick breath and adjusted his legs beneath the table. “Go on. Tell me more.” Ricky smiled and put down his cards. “Okay. I’m standing there in my sweaty jock listening to the shower. I’m not sure what to do, so I decide to act naturally and play it cool. I pull off my jock strap and toss it into my gym bag with the rest of my dirty gear. Then I throw a towel around my shoulders and slowly cross the locker room in my bare feet. I see a pile of some guy’s soiled, sweaty football gear on a bench near the shower room. There’s a pair of dirty sweat

socks and a worn jock strap at the top of the pile. I pick up the jock strap and hold it in my hand for a minute or two, then put it back and keep walking.” “Did you sniff the jock?” Leyland asked. His lips were parted and his eyes were bulging. “No,” Ricky said. “That’s disgusting.” “I would have,” Leyland said. “I don’t think it’s disgusting.” “That’s because you’re a perverted creep,” Ricky said. Leyland shrugged. “No, it’s because I like dick. And there’s nothing sweeter than the smell of a sweaty football player’s used jock strap. Ask anyone.” Ricky squinted and shook his head. “It’s disgusting and skanky. Sweaty balls stink.” “To each his own,” Leyland said. “Finish the story.” “Okay. When I reach the showers, I stop for a minute and wait. My heart is pounding in my ears and my legs feel shaky. I’m not sure whether I should just walk into the showers or go back to my locker and get dressed. Then I take a deep breath and three steps forward. When I’m standing in the shower room doorway, I see the back of this magnificent guy standing beneath the middle shower head. The water is running down his body and he’s washing between his legs. There’s steam everywhere, but I can see the outline of his perfect body. His back muscles are jumping with each move and his long legs have just the right amount of hair. His shoulders are wide and they taper down to a thin waist and a nice tight round ass. Even his feet are perfect; not too big, but wide with straight, perfect toes and a nice arch. “I remain standing there, staring at him. I can smell the spicy soap he’s using. My dick is growing and I can’t control it. I know I should be worried he’ll turn around and find me watching him, but I can’t seem to move my legs. It’s like I’m frozen in a time warp.”

Leyland reached for his beer and gulped the rest of it down. Then he wiped his lips and said, “Don’t stop. Keep going. Does he have a nice dick?” “The weird part is I’ve never seen this guy before. He looks like Keanu Reeves, but not the young version. This is the grow-n-man version: Keanu in his forties. I like that he’s older. But it’s not really Keanu. It’s my dream man, a guy with dark black hair whom I’ve never actually seen before, which only makes my dick harder. Then he turns and faces me. I notice his dick first: it’s the longest, thickest dick I’ve ever seen. It’s just hanging between his legs semierect, swinging back and forth. He stares at me for a second and says, ‘What are you looking at?’ It’s hard for me to speak. I know the sentence is grammatically incorrect. But it doesn’t bother me. I say, ‘I just wanted to take a shower. Do you want me to leave you alone?’ And he says, ‘No. Come over here and help me wash my balls.’ So I slowly step into the shower room and walk toward him. My heart is racing faster than ever and my dick is sticking out like a flagpole. I’m walking and edging at the same time. I can smell the damp hazelnut aroma between his legs. I’m worried about someone walking in and catching us, but all I want to do is go down on my knees and suck him off. “But as I get closer, the steam gets thicker. By the time I’m under the shower and the water is hitting my body, I can’t find him anywhere. My mouth is literally watering. I can’t think about anything but getting down on my knees and tea-bagging him. Then I turn around and the steam slowly starts to disappear and I see I’m standing in the middle of this large, hollow classroom where everyone is taking their SAT tests. Everyone else is seated at a desk, with their heads down, working hard. I’m just standing there in the back of the room, naked and wet and helpless, while they’re all writing something with number two pencils. This weird disconnected feeling passes through my body and my dick starts to shrink. I get this sick thud in my stomach

and I know I’m never going to get into the Ivy League college my parents want me to get into because all I ever think about is sucking the biggest dick I can get my hands on.” Leyland sat back and blinked. “That’s it? That’s the dream? What happened to Keanu Reeves and his big dick?” Ricky pulled the e-cigarette from his mouth and set it on the table. “That’s it. I told you it was weird.” He was enjoying Leyland’s frustrated expression. He knew Leyland had been hoping to hear one of his sex dreams that had a happy ending, where Ricky winds up with his legs in the air and his tongue hanging from the side of mouth. Poor Leyland. Ricky hadn’t seen him this dejected since his mother came home from church early and caught him wearing her white patent leather high heels and Easter bonnet. “You didn’t even get to touch his dick once?” “Nope,” Ricky said. “He just disappeared with the steam.” Ricky wasn’t making any of this up either. He’d actually had this dream the night before and he’d experienced such a deep feeling of panic he had trouble falling asleep again. He just stared up at the dark ceiling in his bedroom and thought about taking the SAT test. He’d already taken the test once and he’d done very well. But not good enough for his mother and father. They wanted him to take it again to see if he could get a higher score. Getting into an Ivy League school wasn’t easy, and they’d been preparing him for this since he was in preschool. Leyland sat back in his seat and yawned. “Pick up your cards and start playing. That dream wasn’t even worth fucking listening to, man.” Then he picked up his cards and spread them into a fan. Ricky smiled. He had another story that would perk Leyland up. “I didn’t tell you what happened the other day, and it wasn’t a dream. It was the real thing.”

Leyland picked up a card, added it to his hand, then laid down seven cards in a row to make canasta. He smiled at his victory and looked up at Ricky. “Okay, what happened the other day?” Ricky looked at the score sheet and frowned. It was getting late, Leyland had almost five thousand points, and if he made one more canasta he’d win the game. The story Ricky was talking about really did happen, at least partially. He was hoping it would distract Leyland from the card game so he could win. So he picked up a card and discarded one from his hand, then said, “I was riding my bike along the edge of the park the other day. I noticed this UPS guy in the back of his truck. He was wearing those short brown pants they start wearing this time of year. He had short blond hair and a diamond earring in each ear.” Leyland looked up from his hand. “I know that UPS guy,” he said. “I’ve seen him in my neighborhood. He’s so fucking hot with that blond hair and those sweet legs I almost tripped over the curb last week.” Leyland lived two cul-de-sacs away from Ricky, well within walking distance. “That’s the guy,” Ricky said. “Well, he was staring right at me. He nodded and smiled and I slowed down. The back of the truck was open and no one was around. He scratched his crotch a couple of times and tilted his head, motioning me to get into the back of the truck with him. I stopped right next to the truck and looked up at him. Then he tilted his head again and winked, welcoming me to join him in the back of the truck.” “What did you do?” Leyland asked. He was sitting on the edge of his seat again. He was staring at his cards and listening to Ricky at the same time. Ricky picked up a card and smiled. “I went into the truck and we did it. I just got down on my knees, pulled down his zipper, and took care of him.”

“Yeah, right,” Leyland said. He laughed and shook his head. “I’ll bet you got back on your bike, rode right home, and jacked off in your bedroom.” He picked up one card, adjusted his entire hand, then placed all his cards on the table. “I’m out. And that’s it. I’ve gone over five thousand with just this one canasta so there’s no need to count the points. I won. Kiss my fucking ass.” Ricky slammed his cards on the table and frowned. He was more upset Leyland didn’t believe his story than he was about losing the game. “I did get into the truck with him. I sucked him off until his dick was red.” Then he pushed the cards forward, stood up from the table, and went upstairs. It was after eleven o’clock by then and he was tired of losing at cards and tired of talking about men and sex. By the time Leyland went upstairs, Ricky was already standing outside in the driveway. His back was against the fence and his arms were folded across his chest. When he saw Leyland approach he lowered his head and kicked a stone into the grass on the other side of the driveway. “I could have gotten into the truck with him,” Ricky said. “He did wink and he did want me to get in there with him. But it just didn’t feel right. I didn’t feel an emotional connection to him. He’s great-looking and all. But it just felt wrong. And that’s why I’m the only eighteen-year-old virgin in town.” He may as well admit part of the story was a lie. Leyland knew him far too well and he knew Ricky wasn’t aggressive when it came to men and sex. While Ricky sulked, Leyland walked up and patted Ricky’s shoulder. “You’re just too uptight, is all. If I’d had the chance to get in the back of that UPS truck with that hot blond god, I would have jumped inside and pulled him down on the floor. But you have to think about it, analyze it, and examine your feelings about it.” He grabbed Ricky’s arm. “Man, sometimes you just have to say kiss my fucking ass and do whatever you want to do. Life’s too short to worry all

the time. We’ve been friends for four years, and in all that time I’ve never seen you just let loose. Start out slowly. Go to school without wearing underwear.” “No underwear?” Leyland patted his back. “I’m not wearing any right now.” Ricky shrugged his shoulders and smiled. He’d wanted to get into the back of the UPS truck, but he kept picturing the horror on his mother’s face if she caught him with the UPS man. Even if she didn’t catch them in the act, he had a feeling she’d know the minute she saw his face. She’d take one look at him, stare at his puffy red lips, and know he’d been sucking a guy off. “Kiss my fucking ass,” Leyland said, “isn’t just an expression. It’s a way of life that can open huge doors to a new life.” He was speaking with his wise old professor tone now, pointing his finger and moving his hand up and down. Ricky listened closely. He stared down at his shoes and pressed his lips together. Leyland was right. He was too uptight. But he’d been doing what his parents wanted him to do all his life and he wasn’t sure he even knew how to say, kiss my fucking ass. Leyland put his arm around Ricky’s shoulder. “Your parents are going away?” “Tomorrow.” “You’ll have the house to yourself,” Leyland said. Then he smiled, patted Ricky on the shoulder, and started down the driveway with his hands buried in his pockets. When Ricky realized what Leyland was saying, Ricky stood up straight and smiled. This was the first time his parents had ever left him alone in the house. He was free to do whatever he wanted to do and there was no one to stop him. Leyland turned back and sent Ricky a wise glance. He smiled and said, “It’s all about these four words: kiss my fucking ass. And I’m not talking about just saying it. I’m talking about

knowing how to do it.” Then he turned to leave. He walked into the dark street waving his arm above his head, whistling a familiar tune. As Ricky watched Leyland disappear, he smiled and whispered the words, “Kiss my fucking ass.”

Chapter Two

“Did you schedule your next SAT test?” Ricky’s mother asked. She wore her usual traveling clothes: her cream suit, with fawn leather pumps and a simple strand of pearls. She was standing at the center island in the kitchen, running her palm across her new verde butterfly granite counter top. She’d been doing this routine since the counters had been installed six months earlier. She’d run her palm across the top to see if it was smooth. If she felt a sticky spot or a smudge she’d missed, she’d whip out her granite polish, a dry paper towel, and buff it until it was smooth again. Then she’d lean to the side to be sure she hadn’t left streaks. Ricky sat down at the kitchen table and reached for a glass of orange juice. He nodded and downed the entire glass in a few gulps. “I just don’t see why I have to take the SAT’s again. I got over twelve hundred the first time. Why do I need a higher score?” His mother crossed to the granite counter next to the sink and ran her fingertips back and forth. She smiled, while staring down at the shining granite, and said, “Because the higher the score the better chance you have to get into the right school, sweetie.” He knew they were talking about one Ivy League school in particular. They just never mentioned the name of the school out loud because they thought it might jinx his chances of getting in. So they just referred to it as the right school. “There are a lot of great schools I can get into with my grades and the scores I have right now. Why does it have to be one school in particular?” And why were they always pushing him and prodding him? But he didn’t ask this aloud.

Before his mother could answer, his father walked into the kitchen and placed an empty cup of coffee on the counter. He was wearing his brown tweed sport jacket, his casual brown loafers, and his perfectly creased high-waisted dad jeans. While Ricky’s mother ran to pick up the empty coffee cup and put it into the dishwasher, his father frowned and sent him a stare. “Would you please come with me, Ricky?” his father said. Ricky shrugged and stood up. He grabbed a piece of toast and followed his father into a living room filled with beige furniture and cream-colored walls. The floors were light oak and the area rugs were ivory bordered sisal. The drapes were white Italian silk and they puddled on the floor. Each table had exactly three decorative items placed in strategic locations that never changed. On the bright white mantel over the white marble fireplace there were gilded candlestick holders at each end. In the middle of the mantel, perched on a round gilded base, sat large crystal putto: a hand-blown angel the size of a football. This was Ricky’s mother’s favorite piece of art in the house. She’d purchased it on a trip to Italy and spent far more on this crystal angel than most people spend on furnishing their entire homes. She cleaned it with a light feathery cloth every morning. No one, not even the cleaning woman, ever dared to touch it. Ricky’s father opened an antique French armoire and placed his hands on his hips. He stared at a small slate-colored box on the middle shelf and said, “This isn’t the way this sound system is supposed to be set. Is it, Ricky?” Then he reached forward and adjusted a few knobs. Ricky put his hands in his pockets and stared down at his shoes. He tended to like a lot of bass when he listened to music, and his father preferred everything to be perfectly balanced. Ricky had adjusted the sound the previous night when he’d been playing cards with Leyland. But he’d forgotten to reset it and now his father was scolding him for ruining his balance. Ricky never understood this. All it took was a few quick adjustments and the sound system could be

reset. But if just one of the switches had been moved even slightly, it sent his father into a complete kerfuffle. When the balance was even again and all switches and knobs were where they should be, his father turned to Ricky and said, “You know how I hate you fooling around with my sound system. You have an iPod and you shouldn’t be fooling around in here with your friends. Do I make myself clear?” Without looking up, Ricky nodded and promised he wouldn’t go near the sound system again, especially while his parents were gone. Then he went back into the kitchen and finished his breakfast while his mother gave the granite counters a good going-over one last time. On the way to the airport, he promised he wouldn’t leave the lights on all over the house, he wouldn’t forget to put the trash out on Sunday night, and he wouldn’t open the door for any strangers. His mother worried about burglary a lot. She kept a can of mace in every room of the house, just in case. She had this strong belief that if a door was unlocked for even a second, half the criminals in the inner city would be slogging into her living room to steal her beloved putto. His father drove to the airport. When he pulled into the departure terminal, he gazed in the rearview mirror and said, “We’ll call you when we arrive. And I set up an interview with a man named Ted Rogers.” Ricky sat up straight. He was in the back of the minivan, looking out the window at a plane taking off. “What interview?” “The interview I set up with a representative from the right school,” his father said. “There’s a guy coming from Boston to talk to you on Thursday evening. He’s interviewing a few prospective new students in New Jersey this week.”

Ricky rubbed his face and frowned. “There’s no way I’m getting into an Ivy League school. Besides, I’m not sure I want to go to one anyway. I’d like to go to school in New Jersey or New York, and it doesn’t have to be Ivy League.” They’d been over this a thousand times, and yet his parents still didn’t seem to get it. It was as though they went deaf when he told them where he wanted to go to college. His mother looked back at him and smiled. “Don’t worry, dear,” she said. “Just tell the man about all your activities in school, especially about your work with Future Entrepreneurs of America project. Tell them how much the other boys like you. They just love that sort of thing. With your grades, your SAT scores, and you being president of the student council, not to mention all your athletic achievements, you’ll have no problem getting into the right school.” Her voice trailed off with a lilt, as if she were asking a question instead of making a statement. Ricky folded his arms across his chest and stared out the window. He couldn’t help wondering how his parents would react if he didn’t get into the right school. When his father pulled up to the curb and put the car in park, Ricky got out and helped them with their bags. He was reaching into the back of the minivan for a carry-on bag when he heard his mother say, “Look at those two pretty young girls, Ricky. They are staring at you and giggling. I think that’s so cute. You’re going to be a real heartbreaker. The girls will be chasing you.” Ricky rolled his eyes and handed his mother the bag. He’d often wondered why she never seemed worried he didn’t date girls or even talk about them. Did she think he was shy? That he was saving himself for the right girl? Was the woman blind and batty? He looked over his mother’s shoulder, completely ignoring the young girls, and smiled at the taxi driver who had just pulled up behind them. The driver had that dark, swarthy look like

the man in Ricky’s shower dream. The driver smiled back and Ricky and licked his lips a couple of times. Ricky’s father was too busy organizing the luggage to notice his son was undressing a dark-haired taxi driver with his eyes. And Ricky’s mother was too busy fumbling with her purse to notice Ricky stretch and yawn so his shirt would go up and he could expose his lean stomach to the taxi driver. He even turned so the driver could check out his ass, arching his back on purpose. “Here’s a hundred dollars for food,” his mother said, handing him a wad of cash folded in half. “And there’s another hundred for emergencies.” Then she leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. As they turned to leave, Ricky’s father looked back and said, “And please don’t forget to water the plants on the patio and in the conservatory, especially the hibiscus trees. It’s going to be warmer than usual and they’ll need plenty of water.” He spoke with a patronizing tone, as if Ricky were three years old. Ricky smiled at his father and said, “Should I start your car?” His father drove a brandnew Porsche convertible, silver with black leather seats and a black top. Ricky had been dying to get behind the wheel of that car. His father frowned. “Just leave my car alone.” “But what about the battery?” “The battery will be fine,” his father said. “Just drive the minivan while we’re gone.” “My van has a full tank of gas, honey,” his mother said. She smiled and tilted her head to the right. She leaned forward to kiss him goodbye again and said, “And make sure you lock all

the doors and turn on the burglar alarm at all times. You never know who could be lurking around these days. My putto is very precious.” He nodded yes and kissed his mother on the cheek, then he shook his father’s hand and watched them walk into the airport. By the time he turned to walk back to the driver’s side of the minivan, the cab pulled away from the curb and stopped beside him. The swarthy dark-haired driver honked lightly and rolled down the window. When Ricky looked down, the driver smiled at him and said, “Nice jeans, man. Looks good.” Without thinking, Ricky looked inside the taxi and smiled. But when he saw the driver had one arm sprawled across the seat and one hand between his legs, Ricky’s hands felt shaky. The driver looked to be about thirty years old, maybe younger. His legs were spread wide, his zipper was down, and he was holding an eight-inch dick in his fist. Though he was aggressive to the point of being obnoxious, this guy was even better-looking up close, and his dick was even nicer than the dick Ricky had dreamed about. Ricky’s mother would have screamed and called for the police, demanding they arrest this pervert. His friends on the football team would have kicked the cab and reached inside to punch the driver. But Ricky’s heart started to race and his mouth went dry. Part of him wanted to jump into the cab and start sucking the driver off, and part of him wanted to crawl beneath the minivan and hide. He fumbled with the keys, reached for the door, and jumped inside the minivan so fast he banged his elbow against the door frame. He shoved the key into the ignition and locked the doors. By the time he looked back at the taxi driver, someone was honking a horn. The driver threw his hands up in the air, shook his head, and sped away. Ricky looked into the mirror and took a deep breath. His face was still red and his heart was still pounding.

Then he punched the steering wheel with one fist and pounded the passenger seat with the other. Once again he’d had the perfect opportunity to hook up with a hot guy and he’d let it slip by. Leyland would have jumped into the cab and dropped his pants. If this kept happening and Ricky continued to panic each time a good-looking guy made advances toward him, he’d never know what it was like to kiss a man, feel a man’s hands on his body, and touch another man’s penis. **** For dinner that night, Ricky popped a corn dog into the microwave and filled a water glass with vodka. Then he dropped a few ice cubes into the glass and added a splash of bottled sparkling water. This was the first time he’d ever been home alone for any length of time and he wanted to make the most of it. Though his mother had left a row of pre-cooked well-balanced organic meals on the top shelf of the refrigerator in plastic containers, labeled and marked for each day she’d be gone, he didn’t feel like eating a balanced meal that night. He ate his corn dog standing over the center island in the kitchen, without using a plate. Each time he put the corn dog down on the granite counter to take a sip of vodka, he pictured his mother running up with a dry paper towel and can of granite polish. She would have tossed the corn dog into the trash and fished a decent meal out of the refrigerator. She only bought corn dogs because he begged her for them, but she never made them for dinner. They were just for snacking or late-night binges, not meals. If it wasn’t organic, grown on a special farm without chemicals, and didn’t have the ingredients listed in detail, Ricky’s mother wouldn’t allow it in the house. When he finished the corn dog, he took another sip of vodka and looked out the kitchen window. The glass of vodka was still mostly full and he hadn’t had much to drink, and by that time the ice had melted and watered it down even more. But he felt a little lightheaded and his

toes were starting to tingle. The sun had gone down already, but it was unusually warm outside. Ricky’s father had just opened the swimming pool for the season and it was ready to be used. So he picked up his drink and headed outside to take a quick swim in the nude. He’d always wanted to swim in the nude, but he’d always been afraid his mother or father would come home and catch him. But they wouldn’t be home that night. He had the entire house to himself and he could do anything he wanted to do. So he kicked off his sneakers and pulled off his socks. Then he dropped his pants, pulled down his underwear, and unbuttoned his shirt. Being naked outside was dangerous and exciting. He had a full erection before he had a chance to look between his legs. He felt so daring he took a small sip of vodka and walked back into the house, with his dick flopping and swinging and his balls slapping against his legs. He crossed into the living room and opened the armoire, then switched on the sound system, turned up the volume, and readjusted the switches to give the music the heaviest bass sound he could achieve. And as one of his father’s favorite oldie songs blasted throughout the house, Ricky danced all the way outside to the pool. He spread his legs wide and rotated his hips in circles. He bucked his pelvis forward and tossed his head back and forth. He pretended to be playing a guitar, and he mouthed the words to the song. At one point, he leaned backward and slowly ran his palms down his naked torso. Though he’d never seen a live male strip show, he’d seen male strippers on TV and he’d always wanted to do try it himself. After a few minutes of dancing around and jumping off lawn chairs, Ricky sensed he was being watched. He slowly looked up at his neighbor’s bedroom window and saw a man peeking through the blinds. Ricky just glanced sideways. He didn’t stare; he didn’t look directly at his

neighbor’s house. This wouldn’t have worked if the guy knew Ricky could see him. It would have been too awkward, the neighbor would have retreated, and Ricky would have run back into the house riddled with shame. But as long as the neighbor didn’t suspect anything Ricky felt comfortable. There was no harm done and nobody had to know about it this little exhibitionism except them. Ricky might tell Leyland about it, but he wasn’t sure. Leyland probably wouldn’t believe he’d had the courage to strip for his cute, young divorced neighbor. With his naked legs spread wide and his white shirt hanging off his shoulders, Ricky posed sideways and exposed more of his body. He didn’t look up once; he knew he had a captive audience. Maybe he was doing something illegal and he’d be arrested for it. But he couldn’t help feeling this unusual sense of empowerment he’d never experienced before. He also knew no one else could see what he was doing. The back of the house was totally private except for this one neighbor’s bedroom window. It could have been the vodka giving him courage, or it could have been the fact that he was home alone. But Ricky continued to dance, spreading his legs and grinding his hips. He had seen this neighbor checking him out before, though nothing too obvious. When Ricky cut the grass in the summer with his shirt off, this neighbor looked him up and down and smiled. This guy would stop in his driveway, hesitate a moment too long, and wave. Instinctively, Ricky knew the guy was watching him and he quietly enjoyed the attention. Ricky knew the guy had just divorced his wife, just sold his house, and he was moving out of the neighborhood in a week. They’d only been married a year, and the guy hadn’t even lived in that house for a full year. (Ricky’s mother was dying to know what had happened and why they’d divorced so soon.) He was in his mid-thirties, had a receding hairline, and was into cycling. On weekends, he was always outside in his driveway fooling with his expensive bicycle,

wearing his tight black cycling gear and a tiny little hat. Though Ricky had never been interested in this guy sexually, he did find it both flattering and exciting this guy was interested in him. And though he wasn’t as sexy as the taxi driver at the airport, he did have a nice body and a thick round bulge between his legs when he wore cycling shorts. Oh, Ricky had checked him out, too, when he wasn’t looking. So Ricky figured he give his neighbor a real good show that night, sort of a moving-away present. Without being obvious, Ricky glanced up at the window again, out of the corner of his eye. Ricky saw his outline, not his actual image. Now the guy was standing to the side of the window, holding the curtain open with one hand and tugging his penis with the other. Evidently, he wanted to see more of Ricky, and Ricky couldn’t wait to show him. Ricky took a gulp of vodka and removed his shirt slowly. He threw the shirt on the back on the lounge chair and jacked his erection a few times. When he was completely naked, he lifted his arms and stretched them all the way up. Then he turned to the side so his neighbor could see he was fully erect. He stood there for a moment, just stretching and posing, bending and arching. A minute after that, he braced his legs and dove into the swimming pool with a splash. Even though the water was cold, Ricky’s dick remained solid. He swam back and forth so his neighbor could see his ass bounce in the water. He even did a handstand in the shallow section. After that, he did a few tumbles and looked up at the window again. The guy was still watching and he was still jacking. When the cold water started to bother him, Ricky decided to speed things up so his neighbor could get off and he could go back into the house. So he pulled a blow-up raft to the center of the swimming pool, climbed on top of it, and flattened his body out face up. He spread

his legs, reached down, and grabbed his erection. When he started tugging himself, he squinted and looked up at his neighbor’s window. The guy had opened the window and spread the curtains all the way apart. He was now standing in the window, looking down at Ricky, with his shirt open, his pants down around his knees, and his hand on his cock. He had a nice body. Not muscular and ripped, but toned and solid all over. And from what Ricky could see, his dick wasn’t bad either. Ricky thought about inviting him down for a swim, but he didn’t want to ruin the moment. If he did and the neighbor freaked out, it could have been extremely awkward. Ricky kept his head back and his eyes shut. A sensation of absolute pleasure passed through his entire body. His heart began to race and his penis started to pulse. He arched his back, threw his left arm back over his head, and started jacking faster. For a minute or two, he even lifted his legs, spread them, and fingered himself. Being naked outside, knowing another man was watching him and enjoying his body so much caused his balls to jump up in his scrotum. For once, his mother walking in on him didn’t even cross his mind and he felt totally guilt free. He was an eighteen-year-old adult. Old enough to vote and drive. It only took a few seconds and a few more pulls. Before Ricky knew it there was a stream of come all over his stomach and a few drops on his chin. When he squinted again and looked up at his neighbor’s window, he saw the guy was still jacking. But he knew the guy was close. He was jacking so fast Ricky could see his balls swinging back and forth. There was something both sexy and sleazy about this, and though Ricky knew he should just clean up and go inside, he didn’t. He milked a few more drops with his right hand and reached down to his stomach with his left. With his left index finger, he scooped up a swirl of his own come, lifted his finger to his lips, and stuck out his tongue with an exaggerated move. When he licked his finger, he heard his

neighbor moan a few times; a second after that, the entire subdivision seemed to go dead silent and he heard his neighbor’s window slam shut. By the time Ricky squinted and looked up again, the curtain was drawn, the room was dark, and there was no sign his neighbor had ever been watching him.

Chapter Three

On Sunday morning, Ricky met a few people he knew from school at a diner on Route 46 in Dover, New Jersey. Leyland was there; a tall, thin guy named JC was there; and a couple named Tiffany and Glen were huddled together at the back of the table. JC had a long Roman nose and his forehead was stippled with acne. He always had this frustrated pinched expression, as if someone were snapping rubber bands against his ass. He wore his hair too short for someone with a weak chin and a large nose. Tiffany had just had her hair streaked with chunks of blond and she was wearing jeans so tight and low-waisted the zipper couldn’t have been longer than two and a half inches. She wore a short sweater, exposing her ample white midriff and gave the impression of a muffin top. Glen, a beefy football player with short sandy hair and a thick neck, ate with his right hand and kept his left hand under the table so he could play with Tiffany’s legs. Tiffany remained casual and pretended nothing was happening. She picked at a small green salad and talked about a friend of hers who had just been accepted into the college of her choice while Glen’s hand went up her crotch. Leyland, never one to miss anything when it came to sex, kept poking Ricky in the ribs and tipping his head toward Tiffany and Glen to let Ricky know Glen was feeling her up under that table. At one point, Leyland actually dropped his napkin so he could look under the table to see what they were doing. When he came back up, he rolled his eyes and whispered into Ricky’s ear. “He’s got his hand between her legs and he’s actually playing with her pussy.”

No one else heard this. Tiffany was talking to JC and Glen was too busy eating his tuna fish sandwich with one hand and fondling Tiffany’s pussy with the other. But when Ricky heard what Glen was doing, he laughed so hard he almost choked on his omelet. Leyland had to pat him on the back and JC offered him a glass of water. By the time he finally calmed down and caught his breath, both of Glen’s hands were on the table and he was listening to JC talk about his plans for the future. Though JC wasn’t specific, he told them the only thing he cared about was getting into a good college and making tons of money when he graduated. He wanted a big house, an expensive car, and he wanted to take three vacations a year. When Ricky questioned JC’s integrity and asked him if he cared about doing something that would help society and contribute to the world, they all just gawked at Ricky and laughed. After the diner, Ricky and Leyland had to go back to school for a meeting regarding an extracurricular activity. The entrepreneurial group they’d signed up for was meeting Sunday because no one had time to meet during the week. Even the teacher, an older guy with pure white hair and a sullen expression, was too busy to meet on a weekday. The thirty students involved, all seniors and all trying hard to get accepted into the right colleges, had already formed fifteen groups of two and now they were going to discuss their projects. The groups were referred to as companies, and each company had to come up with a new product or concept that would make money. Leyland and Ricky were paired off and their fictional company had been named The Risers. They pretended they were looking forward to working together and creating the most unique entrepreneurial product concept that had even been created. Only they still hadn’t come up with an idea yet. When the teacher asked if any of the fictional companies didn’t have a product idea, Ricky and Leyland slumped down in their

seats and remained silent. Neither of them was willing to admit they didn’t have a clue what they were going to do. Ricky glanced around at the class and frowned. The other students, mostly girls, all seemed so alert and eager. His mother would have called them peppy. They laughed and giggled about their projects; they scheduled dates and times when they could meet together. Ricky sighed and poked Leyland in the ribs. He smiled at the teacher and leaned to his right. “Do we have any idea what we’re doing, asshole breath?” Leyland shrugged. He tilted his head and whispered, “Not a fucking clue, dick face. I only signed up for this lame fucking thing because I thought it would look good on my record. Now I’m sorry I did.” Ricky rubbed his chin and closed his eyes. He’d signed up for the same exact reason. Now he was having serious regrets. If they didn’t come up with a good idea, they could come off looking worse than if they hadn’t signed up at all, which wouldn’t be good for their records. Ricky could only imagine how his mother and father would react. To hear them speak, they thought Ricky was ready to move into Donald Trump’s office and take over the casinos. Later that afternoon, while Ricky was outside doing yard work, Leyland walked up the driveway and gave him a playful kick in the ass. Then he punched him in the arm and said, “I see you’re wearing your ripped jeans. I’ll bet you’re hoping the guy next door is inside watching you bend over. I saw you shaking your ass for him.” Ricky rolled his eyes. His jeans were slightly ripped in the knees and he was only wearing them because he was working outside. And the last thing he cared about was his divorced neighbor. He’d told Leyland about what had happened with his neighbor and the swimming pool, but now he was sorry he did. Leyland seemed obsessed with the story. He’d

been talking about it and asking questions about it ever since Ricky had mentioned it after their class. So Ricky turned and continued walking toward the garage. “The guy’s not even home right now. He went out on his bike early this morning and he probably won’t be back until late this afternoon. Trust me, nothing’s going to happen. He won’t even look at me.” Ricky had seen his neighbor when he left for the diner earlier that day. The neighbor had been outside getting his bike ready. When the neighbor saw Ricky, he nodded fast, waved, and looked down at the bike pedals. Ricky turned even faster and got into the minivan. Neither one of them wanted to acknowledge what had happened the night before, which was fine with Ricky. Although it had been exciting at the time, he was feeling guilty about it and trying to remove it from his brain. “You never know,” Leyland said, holding the trash bin lid up so Ricky could toss a large plastic bag of yard waste inside. “Sounds like this guy is hot for you, and it also sounds like you’re hot for him. He’d probably let you suck him off in the bushes.” Ricky smiled and flipped the lid shut. “He’s too old. I have no interest in hooking up with a divorced guy in his thirties. Now let’s go inside and try to figure out what we’re going to do for this half-assed entrepreneurial project. We’d better come up with something soon or we’re screwed, buddy.” For the rest of the afternoon, they brainstormed about the project. It had to be cool and it had to make money. They passed ideas back and forth across the kitchen table as if they were passing a joint. When Leyland suggested they create a new social networking website for horny young gay guys, Ricky shot him down and said it had to be family oriented. Besides that, someone had probably done this already. When Leyland suggested a jerk-off club, Ricky just laughed and rested his head on the table. A few minutes after that, Ricky suggested a new type of restaurant, where people only paid what they had to give instead of paying set prices. If you had

a lot of money, you paid higher. If you were just a struggling student or you were unemployed, you paid almost nothing. Leyland threw an empty water bottle at him and laughed. He told Ricky that if anyone ever did come up with a concept like that they’d go broke within the first month of business. “People,” Leyland said, “are all the same. They all want it for free. And the ones with the most money will wind up paying less than those with the least amount of money.” When the doorbell rang, Ricky was glad to get up and answer it. It was growing dark outside and his eyes were tired from staring at the computer screen. They’d been hoping to get new ideas on the web. But they weren’t getting anywhere, because Leyland kept coming up with ideas that involved sex, alcohol, gambling, or pot. Ricky yawned and walked into the front hall. He opened the door and found Glen and Tiffany standing on the front steps smiling at him. Glen said, “Your parents are gone for a few days, aren’t they?” His hand was pressed against Tiffany’s ass. It didn’t seem to bother Glen that her muffin top was bulging over her lowrise jeans. Ricky nodded yes. He looked at Tiffany. Her head was down, her hands were folded, and she was kicking an acorn away from the doormat with her pigeon-toed feet. “Can we go upstairs?” Glen asked. “We don’t have anywhere else to go.” Ricky sighed and stepped away from the door. “I’m working in the kitchen with Leyland. But no one is upstairs.” He wished they hadn’t asked. He’d never been able to say no to his friends, especially Glen. He was the best-looking guy in school and Ricky would have done anything just to make out with him in the backseat of a car. He would have done anything to go upstairs with Glen and roll around on his mother’s and father’s bed. But Ricky didn’t really want them screwing around in his house. If they wanted to screw around, why couldn’t they find a

place on their own and leave him out of it? It was bad enough he knew he’d never get into the backseat of a car with Glen, and now they had to rub it into his face. Glen reached for Tiffany’s hand and pulled her into the house so fast her head jerked and her midriff jiggled. It looked as if Glen was afraid Ricky would change his mind. “Thanks, man. I’ll owe you one.” Then he pulled her upstairs, turned right at the top, and disappeared. Ricky frowned and walked back to the kitchen. If only Glen would pull him up to the bedroom that way, life would be perfect. He wasn’t asking for much, just one quick romp in the sheets. After that, Leyland and Ricky tried to work on coming up with ideas for the project, but after a half hour of listening to the bed knocking into the wall in the bedroom above them, Ricky shut his laptop and jumped up from the table. “Let’s get out of here. I’m tired of listening to this. It’s making me crazy.” “It’s getting to me, too,” Leyland said. “I’ve seen Glen in the locker room. He’s hung like a fucking horse. I could swing from his cock. And to think that dumb bitch is getting all that great dick is driving me up the motherfucking wall.” Ricky shrugged. Ricky had seen Glen’s dick, too. Tiffany wasn’t bright, but she was stacked like a brick shithouse and wasn’t shy about spreading her legs. “At least she sounds like she’s enjoying it.” He’d never heard such wails and moans. Each time the headboard slammed into the wall, Tiffany let out a scream that sounded like a dry, squeaky fan belt on an old car. So Ricky stood up, grabbed his jacket, and shouted to the ceiling. “I’m going out. Please lock the door when you’re done.” When Leyland stood up, there was a loud knock from above. Then Tiffany screamed out something the sounded like, “Okay!” But it could have been another moan.

On the way out to the garage, Ricky reached for the keys to the minivan on a hook next to the back door. But he hesitated for a second and removed the keys for the Porsche instead. He lifted his fist and clenched the keys. He slapped Leyland in the back of the head and said, “Kiss my fucking ass. We’re not riding around in a minivan tonight.” ****

They drove down Route 46, through Dover, New Jersey, then east toward Denville. When they reached Wayne, near the Willowbrook Mall, a couple of wise guys in an old Mustang pulled up to them at a red light and starting making snide comments. One shouted, “Look at the two pretty boys driving around in daddy’s car.” Another one flipped them the bird and said, “Aren’t they a cute little couple?” Ricky had been driving with such care that a rabbi could have circumcised a baby in the backseat. He’d driven below the speed limit, he’d followed all the rules of the road, and he’d forced Leyland to wear his seat belt. But when these guys started harassing them, he looked at Leyland and smiled. Leyland smiled back and nodded. And when the light turned green, while the guys in the old Mustang were still shouting at them, Ricky slipped the car into first gear, hit the gas, and took off. The tires screeched. Leyland grabbed the door handle and bit his bottom lip. By the time the driver of the mustang stepped on his gas, Ricky and Leyland were out of site and driving up the ramp to Interstate 80. Instead of taking Route 46 home, they took the interstate. Ricky didn’t want to take any more chances with his father’s car and taking the interstate was the safest, fastest way home. When they pulled into the garage, lowered the door, and the car was safely parked, Ricky got out and took a long, deep breath.

But his relief didn’t last long. Leyland walked up to his side and patted his back. “Let’s go inside and check out that website where they have erotic services listed.” Ricky gave him a look. “Huh?” Leyland turned to the door and said, “Look, you’ve been good. You took the Porsche out tonight. But that’s not enough. You have to open up and start saying ‘kiss my fucking ass’ more often now.” Then he walked into the house and left Ricky standing there with his arms spread out and his palms facing forward. When Ricky went into the kitchen, Leyland was already sitting at the kitchen table with the laptop open. He did a search for the website that offered erotic services and clicked to the male/male section. Ricky grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator and sat down across from him. Though he didn’t want to admit this to Leyland, he was a little curious about this website, too. “Listen to this one,” Leyland said. “This guy writes, ‘Twenty-six-year-old looking for hot, horny young guys. Sixty dollars for one hour. Must be eighteen or older, clean, and disease free. Not into pain at all. Perfect for beginners. Serving New York and Northern New Jersey. You host.’” Leyland smiled and wrote down the phone number. “This one is perfect.” “You host?” Ricky asked. Sounded like one of his mother’s Tupperware parties. “It means he’ll come to you instead of you coming to him, asshole.” Ricky laughed and shook his head. “The ad is kind of ambiguous. And he didn’t even include a photo. This is why people from Jersey get bad reputations: they answer online ads like this!” Leyland shrugged. “But he’s cheap. The rest all cost over two hundred and fifty an hour. How bad could he be? He’s only twenty-six, he’s clean, and he sounds responsible when it

comes to safe sex. And he’s willing to come to New Jersey. You can’t go wrong. Are you going to call or should I?” He pulled his cell phone out of his back pocket and flipped it open. “No one is going to call,” Ricky said. “This guy could be hideous, asshole dickwad. He could be a freak or a serial murderer.” Leyland shrugged and laughed. “So what? Just close your eyes and let him suck you off. Maybe just get a hand job. You’re not going to marry him, shitface.” He handed his phone to Ricky. Ricky sat back and folded his arms across his chest. “No way. I’m not paying for sex. I’d rather not have it at all.” “It’s the chance of a lifetime, man,” Leyland said. “He comes right to your door, you play around for an hour, and you give him sixty bucks. What more could you want?” “No way.” Leyland stood up and walked to the other side of the kitchen. “Then I’m calling.” “Yeah, right,” Ricky said, laughing and waving his hand. He thought Leyland was bluffing. Like that time Leyland said he’d send a love note to this great-looking guy in school. He’d chickened out that time, and Ricky knew he’d chicken out this time. Leyland was like that. He talked a bold game, but rarely ever followed through. “Watch me dial,” Leyland said. He looked at the paper where he’d written the number, then dialed. Ricky still thought he was joking. But when he rattled off Ricky’s name and address to a voice mail and said, “I’ll be home all night waiting for you,” Ricky jumped up from the table and ran to where he was standing.

“You didn’t just call and leave my name and address with a male prostitute,” Ricky said. “I know you didn’t do that.” Leyland smiled and nodded. “It’s for your own good.” “Call back and cancel,” Ricky said. “Nope.” Ricky smiled. “You’re an asshole.” “I know.” “Give me the phone and I’ll call back.” Leyland closed the phone and shoved it down the front of his pants and into his underwear where he knew Ricky wouldn’t go. “I have to go home.” Then he turned fast and jogged down the front hall, leaving Ricky standing there with his mouth open and his arms dangling at his sides.

Chapter Four

Later that night, the doorbell rang and Ricky’s entire body froze. It was one of those long drawn-out bells that sounded like the chimes in Westminster Abbey. He was sprawled out across his bed sideways, legs together, toes pointed, and back arched. His laptop sat in front of him, and his left hand was wrapped around his dick. He’d been jacking to porn about frat guys, using his left hand this time to make it feel different. No one ever knocked on the front door after nine o’clock at night. There was an unwritten law about that sort of thing in the suburbs. The only light in the house came from a small gooseneck lamp on his desk. He released his dick and closed his laptop. He jumped out of bed, pulled his jeans up and packed his erection to the right. He squinted and scowled; the head was sensitive because he’d been on the verge of climax. When he went to the closet to choose a shirt, he decided on a long, loose polo that would cover his crotch. As he put on his socks and sneakers, his dick remained erect and he wasn’t sure how long it would take for it to go down. All this fuss just to answer the door. [M1]On

his way downstairs, he felt a sharp thud in his stomach, as if someone had just

punched him. He reached for the doorknob and asked, “Who’s there?” in a timid voice. He’d thought about not answering and pretending no one was home. But that wouldn’t have been right. Leyland had made the call and this person had come all the way out to New Jersey for nothing. “It’s Dawn,” a deep voice said. “I’m the one you called earlier.” Ricky took a deep breath and blinked. He’d been under the impression Leyland had called a male prostitute, not a female. “Dawn?”

“That’s what I said, honey.” It sounded like a man. But what man calls himself Dawn? So Ricky opened the door slowly. When he looked up his head jerked back and his eyes popped. Standing in his doorway, in the middle of his neat, cookie-cutter subdivision, was the tallest, blondest she-male he’d ever seen. Actually, it was the only she-male he’d ever seen in person, up close. Dawn wore a black knitted mini-dress that hugged every curve in his body, tall black stilettos, and a long brassy blond wig. His thick, long masculine fingers were tipped with long red nails that curved down like commas, his pierced ears had long dangling earrings, and his lips were bathed in ruby red lip gloss. “Hold on one second,” Ricky said. Then he slammed the door shut and ran into the kitchen to call Leyland. His hands were shaking and the thud in his stomach grew more intense. He paced back and forth in the front hall, waiting for Leyland to answer, running his hand through his hair. When he picked up, Ricky said, “The escort you called earlier is at my front door right now. Get over here. He wants you.” “No,” Leyland said. “I’m playing cards right now. He wants you, not me.” “Get over here right now,” Ricky said. He spoke with a low tone, but his voice was filled with panic. Nothing in school had ever prepared him for an event like this. “You’re just going to have to handle this yourself,” Leyland said, with his wise professor voice, as if he knew what was best for Ricky. “Just relax and enjoy it. You can thank me and tell me the details in the morning.” Then he hung up the phone before Ricky could tell him there was a six-foot-tall she-male standing on his front porch. The doorbell rang again, and the elaborate chimes made him swallow back hard. He put the phone down on the island, paced back and forth a few more times, and walked back to the

front door. Before he opened it this time, he fastened the chain latch and turned the knob slowly (you never know; this guy Dawn was bigger than Ricky). When he opened it and peered over the gold chain, Dawn’s back was facing him. He cleared his throat and said, “I’m sorry about all this. There’s been a huge misunderstanding.” Dawn turned and said, “Ricky, be a nice boy and open the fucking door so I can make a phone call. I took a taxi here from the city and I have to call another one to get back.” He spoke with resigned cynicism in his voice, as if he’d been through this sort of thing many times before and Ricky was just another dumb kid from New Jersey playing around with him. “Do the cool thing, sweetie. I swear I’m not gonna hurt a hair on your pretty little head.” Ricky hesitated for a moment, then unlatched the chain. When he opened the door all the way, Dawn sent him a frustrated look and sashayed into the house with an exasperated sigh. As Ricky led Dawn back to the kitchen so he could use the phone, his high heels clicked and his earrings tinkled. And Ricky couldn’t help noticing the way his ass wiggled and moved in the short tight dress. If he hadn’t been so tall and his features hadn’t been so large, he could have passed for a real woman, especially from the rear. In stronger light, Ricky could see how heavily his makeup had been applied and how brassy his wig was. The lip gloss alone looked wet to the touch, his eyelashes had to be an inch long, and there were glittery little sparkles all over his cheeks and forehead. He looked more like a caricature of a woman than a real woman. But it was none of Ricky’s business, so he smiled and said, “I’m sorry about this.” He put his hands in his pockets and stared down at his sneakers. “I didn’t mean to put you out in any way.” Dawn walked to where Ricky was standing and ran her long fingernails across the left side of his face. “Don’t worry, sweetie. It’s all good.”

Ricky looked up and smiled. “It’s nothing personal. You’re very attractive, and all. It’s just that I’m into guys, not girls.” This was the first time he’d said this aloud to another living person. It felt so natural and easy. Besides, he wanted to be honest; he didn’t know how to approach this without being too blunt. Though he knew Dawn really was a guy, he wanted to make it clear he wasn’t discriminating against him because he was a she-male. “I think what you’re doing is fine. I support you all the way as a person and a citizen. It’s just that I’m not into it, is all. I were into it, you’d be perfect.” He folded his arms across his chest and nodded, trying hard not to offend Dawn. Dawn smiled and waved his fingernails. “Blah, blah, blah,” he said. “I really don’t give a damn what you’re into, so save the political correctness for someone who cares. I just want to be compensated for my time, sweetie. I came all the way out here, and I never come this far out in Jersey.” “No problem,” Ricky said. He held his hands up and smiled. “It’s only fair.” He seemed like a nice enough guy, in spite of the high heels and lipstick. Dawn reached down and squeezed Ricky’s shoulder a couple of times. He bit his ruby lip and shook his head back and forth. “It’s such a shame, too. You are a fine-looking young piece of male flesh. I’ll bet I could make you very happy if you let me. I can teach you things you never knew existed.” Then Dawn reached between Ricky’s legs and squeezed his balls. “And you’ve got a nice handful, too, sweetie.” Ricky stepped back and took a quick breath. No one had ever grabbed his genitals this way either. Oddly enough, he felt a hint of arousal. But he didn’t want to admit this aloud and encourage Dawn. He’d never been with a man and he didn’t want his first time to be with a shemale. He wanted his first time to be somewhat special. He wasn’t looking for love, but he did

want the guy to roughly resemble the Keanu Reeves man of his dreams. Besides, Ricky kept wondering how he’d look wearing Dawn’s sexy black high heels. If he hadn’t been so terrified, he would have asked if he could try them on. “I’m sorry,” Ricky said. “I’m just not into it.” Dawn shrugged and turned. “I’ll live.” He lifted the phone from the island and said, “I’ll need travel expenses and money for my regular session. She’s not greedy. She just wants to be paid for her time, sugar.” “How much?” “One hundred fifty.” “I thought you advertised sixty bucks.” “The rest is for her travel expenses. She didn’t swim over here from Manhattan in high heels, doll.” Dawn tended to slip into the third person when he spoke. Ricky smiled and reached into his pocket. He handed Dawn one hundred and fifty dollars of the money his mother had given him and said, “Sounds fair.” He smiled again; he was just glad he was getting rid of him. After Dawn called the taxi, they waited outside on the front steps for what seemed like hours. Conversation was awkward at best. Dawn kept opening his legs and flirting with Ricky, and Ricky kept looking up to the sky and rocking on the balls of his feet. At one point Dawn lifted his dress and showed Ricky his penis. It wasn’t bad, about nine inches and fairly thick. But Ricky shook his head no and smiled, and Dawn shrugged and put his dick back into his lace panties. When the taxi finally pulled into the driveway, Ricky looked up at the sky and sighed, then walked Dawn to the car and opened the back door.

Before Dawn got into the car, he pulled a small slip of paper from his purse and handed it to Ricky. “You seem like a nice boy,” he said. “If you’re ever interested, call this number and ask for Chad.” “Chad?” Dawn laughed. “Chad is all man. He’s what every gay boy like you in Jersey wants. Trust me, he won’t let you down. He’s one of a kind, and only twenty-two years old.” Then he climbed into the backseat and told the driver to take him back to New York through the Lincoln Tunnel, not the Holland. An hour later, Ricky was flat on his back in his bed. He should have been exhausted after such a long day, but he couldn’t control all the disconnected thoughts running through his head. Though he was relieved the situation with Dawn had been easy to fix—(it could have been much worse—he was still horny and still frustrated. So he slid his palm beneath the covers, into his white briefs, and down to his dick. He spread his legs and squeezed his balls, hoping a good jack session would relieve all the pent-up emotions he was experiencing that night. But when he closed his eyes and started to fantasize about his dream guy, the only images that passed through his head were reruns of past nightmares. He drifted into a daydream and tried to imagine the hot, dark-haired dream guy who resembled Keanu Reeves standing over his bed. The room was dark but there was enough moonlight passing through the windows to see the guy was wearing nothing but a white bath towel around his waist. The dream guy looked down and Ricky and smiled. He had heavy five o’clock shadow and his thick black hair was messy on top. Then he reached forward and yanked all the covers off Ricky’s bed. When the dream guy saw Ricky was only wearing white briefs, he reached down with both hands, yanked the briefs down Ricky’s legs, and tossed them back over

his shoulder. Then he removed his white towel and stood back. He had the biggest, thickest cock Ricky had ever seen. It was even bigger than Glen’s dick. That’s when Ricky smiled and nodded at the handsome stranger in his room. He spread his legs as wide as they would go and lifted them in the air for the man of his dreams. It only took seconds for the dream guy to climb on top of Ricky and push Ricky’s knees against his shoulders. He grabbed his dick and rubbed the head against Ricky’s opening. With one quick push, he went all the way into Ricky’s virgin hole without so much as a flinch. It didn’t hurt in the least. It felt as if Ricky’s body had been designed to accommodate him to perfection. And when he started to buck his solid slim hips into Ricky ass, Ricky arched his back and moaned so high, he sounded like Tiffany had sounded with Glen earlier that night. But a minute after that, while the dream guy bucked and slammed into him, Ricky heard sirens and a commotion outside the house. He noticed red and amber lights shining through his bedroom windows and people were shouting up at the house from the front lawn. Ricky laced his fingers around the dream guy’s neck and the dream guy put his arms beneath Ricky’s knees so he could hoist him up. Then he carried Ricky to the window, pushing his penis inside Ricky’s body the entire time, so Ricky could peek through the blinds and see what was happening outside. The house was surrounded with police cars and men in uniform. An officer in plain clothes who resembled Ricky’s math teacher held up a megaphone and said, “Ricky, this is the police. The house is surrounded. Put down your slutty legs, get that big thick cock out of your ass, and come outside with your hands above your head, you little whore.” Ricky’s mother and father came running across the front lawn. His mother’s expression was pinched and she had one hand pressed to her throat. She grabbed the megaphone and said, “Please, honey. Do what the police say. Tell that man to stop doing that nasty thing to you with

his huge penis and come downstairs. It’s not too late, dear. Don’t ruin your life by doing naughty things with men who look like that nasty brute, Keanu Reeves.” Then Ricky’s divorced neighbor from next door pulled the megaphone out of Ricky’s mother’s hands and said, “Listen to me, you little pervert. I saw you jerking off outside last night by the pool. I saw it plain as day. You licked your fingers and your own come. You’ll never go to college now, pal. You’re nothing but a little gay creep and it’s time to come clean. I have photos to prove it.” The dream guy bucked his hips into Ricky’s ass and said, “You eat your own come?” Ricky nodded and tossed his head back. Though he was terrified, he loved being suspended in mid-air in the arms of his dream guy, while his dream guy was still buried in his body. “That’s so hot,” the dream guy said. Ricky tilted his head toward the window. “Not according to them.” “Fuck them,” the dream guy said. “I only care about you, baby.” But before Ricky could reply, he snapped out of the dream and opened his eyes. He left the dream guy standing there alone and jumped out of bed. He switched on the light on the nightstand and rubbed his eyes. This was getting bizarre. He was so frustrated he couldn’t even fantasize about his dream guy anymore without giving himself a guilt trip. He needed the real thing. He needed a man, he need to find out what it was like to be with a man, and he needed it that night. So he went to his desk and opened his laptop to find the website Leyland had been viewing when he’d called Dawn the she-male. They couldn’t all be she-males on the site. Maybe there was a normal male escort who appealed to him, one who resembled his ultimate dream guy

and could help him lose his virginity with tenderness and affection. It was worth a try. And though he’d never admit any of this to Leyland, it did seem like the best way to get laid with the least amount of complications. But all the escorts listed on the website made him feel creepy. When he read their advertisements, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up straight. One guy was into licking feet and sucking toes, another was into something called water sports (whatever that was), and there was even one who said he’d swallow all the come anyone wanted to give him (called himself The Come Dump). Some offered blindfolded blow jobs without any reciprocation for two hundred bucks, others promised they were completely versatile and would do anything for money. And some were so blatant and aggressive about what they did or didn’t do sexually they caused Ricky’s face to flush. After a half hour of searching through these advertisements, Ricky slammed the laptop shut and kicked the trash can under his desk. While he was sulking, he remembered the small pink paper Dawn had given him. Dawn had said if he was ever interested to call this number and he’d be pleased with the results. Ricky picked up his jeans from the floor and fished for the paper. He pulled it out of his pocket, stared at the number, and then reached for the telephone. A deep voice answered. “Hello?” Ricky sat back in his chair and concentrated on his voice so it wouldn’t shake. He wanted to sound sophisticated and adult. “Hi,” he said. “Is Chad there?” “Hey, man. This is Chad.” This one sounded friendly enough, and his voice had that deep, smooth quality Ricky had always admired. And the biggest turn-on of all was that he’d called Ricky man, with that casual,

all-male-jock way the guys on Ricky’s football team spoke to each other. “I’m a normal guy and I’d like to hook up tonight,” Ricky said. “I’d like that, buddy,” Chad said. “Where are you?” Ricky hesitated. He’d called him buddy. He sounded like Ricky’s hung football coach, another huge turn-on only a gay man would understand and appreciate. But Ricky frowned. He was worried that when he told Chad he lived in the suburbs in New Jersey Chad would never want to come out that far. He reached for his baseball cap on his desk and put it on. He lowered the brim below his eyes and said, “I’m in Rockaway, New Jersey.” His tone grew softer, with a hint of innocence he couldn’t seem to hide anymore. “What’s your name?” Ricky pulled the hat down even more. He hesitated again. “Henry,” he said. But he wasn’t sure why he lied. This guy probably didn’t even care about his name. “Henry,” Chad said, “Can I have the address? I know that area fairly well.” Ricky didn’t hesitate this time. The more Chad spoke, the harder Ricky’s dick grew. “555 Pintail Point Lane,” he said. “Henry?” “What?” “I’ll see you in about an hour and a half,” Chad said. After Chad hung up, Ricky remained seated at his desk for another minute or two. He couldn’t believe he’d just called a male escort named Chad. He couldn’t believe this Chad guy would be at his door in about an hour, ready to have sex with him. It was a feeling the resembled shock: he had trouble concentrating, he stared forward in a daze, and he seemed to be moving in

slow motion. He knew, deep down in his gut, this would either be the best move he’d ever made in his life, or the worst.

Chapter Five

For the next five minutes, Ricky remained seated at his desk. He stared at the phone and wondered if he’d just made a grave error by calling Chad. After all, this guy had been referred to him by a she-male prostitute. What if Chad showed up in lipstick and earrings? But Ricky wanted to think positively this time. He figured if he lowered his standards and thought about all this realistically, nothing could go wrong. He wasn’t expecting perfection; he didn’t think his Keanu Reeves dream guy would knock on the door. All he wanted was a nicelooking, normal guy with a decent body and good hygiene. He didn’t even care if the guy had a small paunch, or if his nose was too large and his chin was too weak. As long as Chad wasn’t a complete turn-off, Ricky would smile and invite him into the house. So he jumped off his chair and went into his bathroom. He only had about an hour or so to prepare and there was a lot to do. If he was going to have sex for the first time, he wanted to look as good as possible so the escort didn’t think he was repulsive. In the shower, he shaved his entire body with a new doubl-edged razor. Though he wasn’t a hairy guy by any means, he wanted to be smooth all over for Chad. He’d started shaving his legs for athletic reasons back when he was a freshman. He knew what he was doing and he knew how to be fast about it. But he’d never shaved his entire body, including his armpits, until that night. All the porn stars he’d seen were cleanly shaven, especially the bottoms. Their asses were smooth as silk, and their genitals were almost always bald. Some left little triangles above their dicks, but Ricky decided that would take too long.

He even squatted in the shower and shaved his ass crack thoroughly. He used a small shower mirror to get into the spots he couldn’t see; he spread his legs wide so he wouldn’t miss a single hair. When he stood up, stepped out of the shower, and placed his dripping feet on the tiled floor, his legs tingled and his body seemed to shine more without hair. He dried himself off in the full-length mirror, turning sideways to be sure his body was completely smooth. When he stood up and arched his back, he looked into the mirror and smiled. He liked what he saw; he not only felt cleaner, he also felt sexier this way. After he dried his body, he slowly applied a musk-scented bronzer. He hadn’t been in the sun since the previous summer and his body had a pale, grayish tone. He didn’t apply gobs of bronzer, just a light even coat so there would be some color. And this bronzer had a slight hint of glitter, which made his tight skin glisten and shine beneath the bathroom fixtures. Then he shaved his face and styled his short brown hair the way he usually did. Ricky had thick, dead straight hair. There wasn’t much he could do with it other than part it on the side, apply some glaze, and let it fall naturally. He’d thought about getting one of those ultra short haircuts with a turned-up wave above his forehead, but it felt too cliché. For underwear, he chose the black low-rise briefs that made his ass look rounder and firmer. He pondered the thought of not wearing any underwear at all, then decided that might be too sleazy. Though he didn’t want Chad to know he was a virgin, he didn’t want him to think he was a slut either. By the time he pulled his navy blue crew neck over his white polo shirt and looked into the mirror, he took a deep breath and sighed. He hadn’t taken this long to get dress for the prom. But then again, he’d taken his cousin from Newark to his prom and he hadn’t been worried about how he’d looked that night. He turned sideways and smoothed out his sweater. His slacks were

tight beige khakis, the ones that pulled across his ass and cut off circulation in his groin. He didn’t wear these pants often; they were too uncomfortable to deal with for any length of time. But he figured they were perfect for this meeting. He wasn’t planning on wearing them long. When he went downstairs to wait for Chad, he turned on his father’s sound system and played something slow and simple. Then he sat on the living room sofa and folded his hands on his lap. He remained there for ten minutes, tapping his right foot, waiting for the doorbell to ring. There was cash in his back pocket and soft music coming from his father’s sound system. He took quick breaths, hoping to calm his nerves, praying Chad wouldn’t be a complete waste of time. When the doorbell finally did ring, he jumped up so fast his elbow hit the coffee table and almost knocked over his mother’s crystal vase. He answered the door just as Chad’s hand was hovering over the bell, about to push the button a second time. When Ricky switched on the overhead lamp, his stomach jumped and his lips parted. The man looking back at him was nothing like he’d imagined he would be. He was six feet tall, with a strong square chin, short black hair, and almond-shaped eyes so brown they were almost black. His shoulders were broad, his abdomen flat, and his legs bowed at the knee. This wasn’t the man of Ricky’s dreams, the one who resembled Keanu Reeves. This guy could have been Keanu Reeves’s identical twin. Ricky just stood there staring, so Chad smiled and said, “Can I come inside, Henry?” His voice was even deeper and smoother than it had been on the phone. Ricky smiled and nodded. He looked into Chad’s eyes and nodded. Then he stepped to the right and Chad stepped into the house. This guy wasn’t even dressed as Ricky had imagined he would be. He’d pictured a guy in jeans and a T-shirt, maybe a few tattoos and an earring. But Chad wore a crisp white dress shirt,

a black cashmere sport jacket, and light khaki slacks just like Ricky’s. His shoes were black quarter boots with square toes, and they had been shined to perfection. If he had any tattoos, they weren’t visible. Chad turned and sent Ricky a warm smile. He lifted his arm and placed his palm on the right side of Ricky’s face. “I’m glad you called when you did. I was just leaving a restaurant with friends and I was about to go home and call it a night. I’d hate to think I’d miss out on meeting someone like you, Henry.” His large, strong hand made Ricky’s body tingle. Ricky had trouble finding his voice. “Ah well, you look nice.” He thought before he spoke; he didn’t want to say the wrong thing and look stupid. Chad caressed his face a couple of times and said, “So do you. You’re far more attractive than I thought you would be, Henry.” He leaned forward, toward Ricky’s shoulder, and inhaled. “And you smell nice, too.” “Thanks,” Ricky said. He wished he hadn’t used a fake name. But there was no going back now. “I have to ask you something first, buddy,” Chad said. “I have to know how old you are. You look like a man. But I have to be sure you’re eighteen or older. I have a rule about that. I’m very strict about dating minors. I don’t do it.” When he called him buddy, Ricky gulped and said, “I’m eighteen. I turned eighteen last January. I can prove it.” Though his hands were on the verge of shaking, he didn’t want Chad to leave. “Cool.”

“How old are you?” Ricky asked. Dawn had said he was in his twenties, but he looked younger. “Twenty-two.” “Cool.” Chad smiled. “Then close the door, man.” While Ricky closed the door, Chad crossed into the living room and lowered all the lights. By the time Ricky walked in, Chad was standing in front of a long window seat. His hands were in his pockets and he was smiling. “Come here, Henry.” His tone was low and smooth, with a resonance that caused Ricky’s heart to flutter. Ricky had been worried about how this would work. Did they talk for a while and get to know each other? Did they just strip and suck each other off? But Chad knew how to take control without asking any questions at all. Ricky slowly walked toward the window seat, keeping his focus on Chad’s strong, handsome face. He couldn’t stop staring at his deep brown eyes. Though he’d never seen eyes this brown or this magnificent, he couldn’t help feeling as if he’d met Chad somewhere before. Whenever Ricky imagined being with a man, he’d always felt anxious and unusual about it. But with Chad his heart wasn’t pounding from stress; it was pounding with anticipation. All the fears and worries he’d ever had about being with a man suddenly vanished. He walked right up to Chad and smiled. And when Chad reached down and grabbed the bottom of Ricky’s navy crew neck, Ricky lifted his arms in the air so Chad could remove it. So much for small talk. Chad slowly undressed him. Ricky moved with gentle turns so Chad wouldn’t have to tug or pull. When he was completely naked, standing in front of Chad with an erection, he lifted his

palms and placed them on Chad’s broad chest. The fabric of his black sport jacket was soft, like his mother’s cashmere coat. And he could feel the muscles in Chad’s chest beneath the fabric. He squeezed Chad’s chest and looked into his deep eyes. Then Chad placed his large palm on the small of Ricky’s back and said, “It’s your turn. Undress me now.” Well. Ricky took a quick breath and bit his bottom lip. He removed Chad’s jacket, folded it in half, and placed it on the window seat. When he removed Chad’s white shirt, he ran his palms across Chad’s wide shoulders and gulped. He’d never touched a man’s body this way. Each movement filled him with a new sensation; each time he touched Chad’s bare flesh his cock jumped. When it was time to remove Chad’s pants, Ricky went down on his knees and started with the belt buckle. Then he undid the button and slowly pulled down the zipper. As he lowered Chad’s pants, he inhaled the sweet, damp aroma coming from between Chad’s legs. It wasn’t like cologne or perfume, and it wasn’t like soap or powder. It wasn’t clean or fresh or flowery, yet it wasn’t dirty or offensive or funky. The only thing Ricky could compare it to, and even then this was stretching things, was the smell of his own underwear after he’d worn them for a few hours. Ricky couldn’t get enough of it. Every nerve ending in his body went off. While Chad stepped out of his slacks, Ricky leaned forward, he pressed his nose into Chad’s white boxer briefs, and he took a deep breath. He buried his nose in Chad’s bulging genitals and closed his eyes. When he realized Chad’s erection was pressed against his forehead, his own balls jumped up into his scrotum.

Chad caressed the top of Ricky’s head and said, “Take them off.” He was talking about his briefs. Ricky looked up at him with innocent eyes. For so long, he’d imagined what it would be like to touch another man’s body, to unzip his pants, yank down his underwear, and hold his balls in his palm. He’d imagined rubbing his cheek along a man’s leg and inhaling his scent. And now he was actually doing it, and with a man even better than the man of his dreams. Chad caressed his face and said, “You’re adorable, Henry. You have eyes that could melt my heart.” Oh, this guy was good. Ricky reached for the waistband of Chad’s underwear and started pulling them down. The musky aroma grew even stronger, as if Ricky had opened a bottle of expensive, exotic cologne and spilled it on a table. As he pulled the briefs around Chad’s slightly hairy legs, Chad’s erection popped out, hit the tip of Ricky’s nose, and brushed against Ricky lips. Ricky remained in this position for a minute or two, holding the waistband of Chad’s briefs around Chad’s knees while the head of Chad’s penis touched Ricky’s lips. It felt as if the bottom of Ricky’s chest had dropped out. Then Ricky blinked and finished removing Chad’s underwear. He pulled Chad’s black socks off slowly, gently caressing and examining Chad’s feet. They were wide, athletic feet, with an extremely high arch and long, sinewy toes. He squeezed Chad’s toes and kissed his instep. Ricky wanted to touch every inch of this man. He wasn’t sure how long it would last and he didn’t want to miss anything. When he was finished with Chad’s feet, he worked his way up Chad’s legs, squeezing and caressing his calves, his knees, and his thighs. His kissed behind Chad’s knees and licked the middle of his thighs. Chad wasn’t hairy, but his legs were covered with the soft, dark fleece of

man who had never shaved his legs. At one point Ricky couldn’t control himself. He leaned forward, stuck out his tongue, and started licking Chad’s upper thigh. He licked upward, toward Chad’s groin. When he reached Chad’s genitals and inhaled the strong damp aroma again, he opened his mouth and sucked both balls in at the same time. Ricky filled his mouth and closed his eyes. He couldn’t believe how bold he was; he couldn’t believe he was actually tea-bagging this guy. But more than that, he had a strange man’s balls in his mouth and nothing bad was happening to him. There were no sirens going off outside the house and no policemen shouting at him with megaphones. He ran his tongue back and forth and around in circles. He didn’t care if his mother walked in on him anymore. All he cared about was getting as much of Chad as he could. By the time Chad was moaning softly, he lowered his hands and placed them on both sides of Ricky’s head. He caressed his cheeks and smiled. “Your mouth feels so good, Henry.” Ricky nodded and closed his eyes. He couldn’t get enough of Chad’s balls. They tasted just like they smelled: a little salty, with a slight tang that resembled cinnamon and absolutely delicious pumpkin spices. When he finally stopped sucking Chad’s balls, he reached for Chad’s erection and wrapped his fingers around it. He stared at it for a second and stroked it lightly. Chad was larger and thicker than Ricky was. The head of Chad’s penis resembled an acorn and the tip was already wet with pre-come. Ricky didn’t have to think about what he did next. When he slipped Chad into his mouth, his hands went up in surrender, his eyelids fluttered, and he sighed so long and with such a sense of relief he almost lost his balance. The room began to spin and little white lights passed in front of his eyelids. He’d been dreaming about this moment since he’d entered puberty. It was everything and more than he could have imagined. Though Chad was rock hard,

the skin on his penis was soft and smooth. And when the first drops of pre-come hit the back of Ricky’s tongue and he swallowed, Ricky sighed even louder. He sucked so long and so hard the sides of his face ached. His lips felt swollen and his chin dripped with his own saliva. The only way Chad could get his attention was to grab the back of his head and say, “It’s time for you to get up now, Henry.” Ricky’s head stopped moving. With Chad’s cock still in his mouth, he looked up with an innocent expression and remained still. He didn’t want to stop. He wanted to suck Chad off until he came inside his mouth. But Chad knew what he was doing. He caressed Ricky’s face with both hands and said, “As much as I’d like to come this way, it’s not time yet. Get up and lie down on the window seat.” Ricky nodded, took three more hard sucks to make sure there wasn’t any pre-come left, and released Chad’s dick from his mouth. But as he stood up, because he couldn’t help himself, he stuck out his tongue and licked Chad’s shaft a few more times. He hesitated, then licked it again for good measure. When he pictured himself doing this, he almost laughed out loud. He felt like one of those baby birds in a nest, with his mouth wide open begging for more. When Ricky was on his feet, Chad helped him to the window seat and guided him into a certain position. Chad grabbed his hips and sat him down on the edge of the flowery cushion, gently pushed him backwards toward the window, and lifted his legs in the air and gaped at his ass. He ran his hand up and down Ricky’s soft flesh and said, “Hot, baby.” Ricky closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Though it made him smile inwardly to have Chad look at his ass this way, he wasn’t sure what to expect now. When he masturbated alone he’d often inserted small sex toys into his anus. Sometimes he used his mother’s special holiday

tapers. But those toys were nothing compared to Chad’s erection. His dick was so heavy it hung low even when it was hard. Chad must have sensed his apprehension. He smiled at Ricky and said, “You look beautiful like this, with your legs up that way. You have the smoothest, softest skin I’ve ever touched. It actually glistens. I’m not just saying that. I really mean it, baby.” Ricky smiled. He didn’t mention the bronzer he’d used. The fact that Chad was attracted to him made this even more exciting. And Ricky knew, deep down, Chad wasn’t just saying it to please him. The energy between them was too strong to fake. The way Chad’s chest was heaving and the way his dick was pulsing wasn’t forced. No one could act this well, not even a male escort who was being paid to fuck him. When it occurred to Ricky that Chad was having just as much fun as he was, he arched his back and spread his legs even wider to accommodate him. That’s when Chad reached into his jacket and pulled out a lubricated condom. While he covered his dick, Ricky watched. Chad had trouble stretching it over the shaft. Wwhen it was fully unrolled there was still an inch of his shaft that wasn’t covered. This made Ricky smile. He tapped Chad’s leg and said, “Maybe you should get extra large next time.” Chad sent him a wise glance. He winked fast and said, “These are extra large, baby.” Ricky rolled his eyes and bounced back to reality. This wasn’t funny anymore. This guy’s dick was a monster, and he was getting ready to insert this monster into Ricky’s tight little virgin body. “Just go easy,” Ricky said. He clenched his fists. “I can take it, but go slow at first.” Chad stepped between his open legs and smiled. He rubbed the soft places between Ricky’s thighs and said, “You’re a virgin, aren’t you?”

Ricky turned his head and faced the wall. He shrugged his shoulders and nodded yes. He didn’t want to admit it aloud. But at the same time he couldn’t wait for Chad to mount him and get it over with. “Don’t worry,” Chad said. “You’ll be fine. I wouldn’t hurt you for anything in the world. If you want me to stop, all you have to do is tell me.” Then he caressed the backs of Ricky’s legs and puckered his lips as if he were about to whistle. “You’ll just stop if I want you to?” Ricky said. There was a rough, serious quality about Chad that made him wonder. “You would just pull out and not get mad at me?” Chad nodded. “As much as I can’t wait to get in there, I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do, Henry. I promise.” He placed his right palm on his chest. After that, Ricky closed his eyes and Chad lowered his right hand between Ricky’s legs. He fondled Ricky’s ass for a few minutes, then inserted his index finger into Ricky’s hole. When Ricky’s head went back and he gasped for air, Chad looked up fast and said, “Is this okay? Am I hurting you?” Ricky could barely open his mouth wide enough to say, “I’m fine. Don’t stop, Chad.” Ricky liked saying his name aloud. Chad. It was a sexy name, the name of a real man filled with testosterone and male energy. After that, Ricky couldn’t stop saying his name aloud. When he inserted two fingers in to Ricky’s ass, Ricky gasped and said, “Yes, Chad, that feels wonderful, Chad.” The more he said the name, the harder his dick grew and the wider he spread his legs. By the time Chad had three fingers in Ricky’s ass, Ricky’s toes were curling forward and he was begging for him to go deeper. So Chad removed his fingers and pressed the head of his dick to Ricky’s hole. Ricky closed his eyes and clenched his fists. Though Chad went inside

slowly, there was some pain. But Ricky didn’t want Chad to know it. Chad, thinking Ricky was fine, pushed forward an inch, then stopped and waited a few seconds to see how Ricky would react. When he didn’t see any signs of visible pain, he went in an inch or two deeper. When he was finally inside Ricky’s body and his pelvis was resting on the back of Ricky’s ass, he asked, “Are you in any pain? I can pull out.” Ricky looked up at him and smiled. “I’m fine. It feels good. Please don’t stop, Chad.” His eyes were ready to tear but he didn’t want to ruin the moment. When Chad had inserted the head, it hurt so bad Ricky’s jaw came unhinged. Stars flashed and bolts of lightening zoomed past his closed eyelids. But the pain didn’t last long, and Chad had been so gentle and so kind Ricky didn’t want to disappoint him. If anything, by the time Chad asked him how he was, Ricky was ready for a good, long ride. When Chad started bucking his hips and hitting sensitive spots inside Ricky’s body that Ricky didn’t even know he had, Ricky threw his arms back over his head and arched his back. Chad remained gentle that night. He didn’t slam him, pound him, or cause him any pain whatsoever. And they didn’t remain on the window seat for long. They started out there, but wound up in several different parts of the house. All in all, Chad fucked him over the dining room table, sideways on the kitchen counter, upside down in the front hall, and doggie style in front of the living room fireplace. In the end, they wound up climaxing together in Ricky’s father’s leather chair in the den. Chad was sitting on the chair, slumped forward with his legs stretched all the way out. And Ricky was sitting on Chad’s dick, riding it as fast as he could with his legs spread wide as if he were doing a split.

Chad came first. He squeezed Ricky’s hips hard with both hands and filled the condom. His body jerked and his legs trembled. After that, Ricky sat all the way down on Chad’s erection and pointed his toes. He held Chad’s shoulder with his left hand and jacked with his right. After he came on Chad’s chest he opened his eyes and looked down. “I’m sorry I made such a mess.” Chad was still inside him, bucking his hips slowly. “It’s okay,” Chad said, then reached up and grabbed the back of Ricky’s head. He pulled him forward and kissed him on the mouth. When Chad’s tongue entered Ricky’s mouth, Ricky’s entire body went limp. His hands went up in the air again and he sighed even longer than he’d sighed when he’d tasted Chad’s dick for the first time. This was his first kiss, the first time he pressed his tongue against another man’s tongue. And even though everything they’d done that night had been wonderful beyond belief, this kiss, without any doubt, was the best part so far. Then Chad slapped his ass and said, “Your legs are going to cramp up in that position.” Ricky smiled. He was still in a split and his feet were dangling over the arms of the chair. “I’m double jointed,” he said. “I could stay like this all night.” Then he wondered about the time. He looked at the wall and his stomach jumped. The clock said it was after three in the morning. They been playing around for hours and Ricky was worried he didn’t have enough cash to pay Chad extra. But all his worrying ended when Chad looked up at him and said, “Do you mind if I spend the night? I hate going back to the city at this hour.” Ricky wanted to be cool. He didn’t want Chad to know he was ready to jump up and down and do a dance. So he shrugged his shoulders and smiled. “We can sleep in my room.”

Then he lowered his legs and let them dangle over the arms of the chair. Before he got up, he kissed Chad one last time.

Chapter Six

After they took a quick shower together, they climbed into Ricky’s bed. Before Ricky had a chance to object, Chad fell on top of him, closed his eyes, and started snoring with a light, even wheeze. He just plopped down and closed his eyes; it was amazing to watch. The snoring wasn’t the problem and Ricky didn’t mind Chad’s warm breath on his neck. It was sleeping on his back that bothered Ricky. He’d never been able to sleep on his back, not even as an infant, from what he’d been told. He either slept on his side or face down. When he tried to turn over on his side, Chad grabbed his shoulder and held him in place. Then Chad wrapped his hairy legs around Ricky’s smooth legs and pinned him there from the waist down. For the first half hour, Ricky stared at the ceiling, listening to Chad breathe. He didn’t want to be rude; he didn’t want to wake him out of such a sound sleep. The poor guy must have been exhausted. Besides, having a man like Chad on top of him, in his own bed, wasn’t the worst thing in the world. He furrowed his eyebrows and told himself that if millions of people could fall asleep on their backs every night, so could he. He certainly wasn’t going to wake Chad and disrupt his sleep. So he reached down beneath the covers and cupped Chad’s genitals in his palm. They were warm and still slightly damp from the shower. Ricky had to pass the time somehow, and groping a cheap feel from Chad seemed like the perfect way to do it. Chad didn’t even flinch. He just continued to snore with the same constant rhythm. His balls were pliable and his flaccid dick was soft and spongy. Ricky closed his eyes and smiled. Chad had so much junk between his legs, half of it spilled out of Ricky’s hand. Chad’s dark pubic hairs were wiry and one testicle felt a

little larger than the other. The next thing Ricky knew, Chad had a full erection again. The more he squeezed, the bigger it grew. So Ricky wrapped his hand around it and stroked it gently, then kissed Chad on the cheek and slipped into one of the deepest, smoothest sleeps he’d ever experienced, wishing he had a dick like this in his hand every night of the week for the rest of his life. In the morning, Ricky woke with Chad kneeling over his face. He wiped the sleep from his eyes and squinted through sunshine streaming through the window over his desk. Chad’s balls were swinging and he was rubbing the head of his erection up and down Ricky’s left cheek. Ricky could smell his damp, spicy scent and he could practically feel the invisible rush of testosterone in the room. He opened his eyes all the way and smiled. When he looked up, Chad was looking down at him with one eyebrow raised. His beard had grown heavier, which made him look older and slightly dangerous. “Good morning,” Chad said. His balls were inches from Ricky’s chin. Ricky lifted his arm and placed his palm on Chad’s hard thigh. He wanted to pinch himself to make sure he wasn’t dreaming this. “Good morning to you, too.” Chad smacked his cock on Ricky’s lips and smiled. He pulled the covers off and exposed Ricky’s naked body. “You look good in sunlight. I can’t believe how smooth and soft you are.” Ricky didn’t reply. He could barely catch his breath. He just turned his head and opened his mouth. When he stuck out his tongue this time, Chad forced his dick into Ricky’s mouth and moaned out loud about how wet and soft it felt. As Ricky started sucking, Chad’s hips started to buck. Chad stretched out his legs and grabbed the headboard for support so he could fuck Ricky’s face. It didn’t take long for the first drops of Chad’s pre-come to hit Ricky’s tongue. The guy was ready to burst, and it made Ricky suck harder and faster. Though he was enjoying

himself, Ricky wanted to please him. He wanted Chad to remember this experience for a long time. “I’m close,” Chad said. His balls were slapping against Ricky’s chin now. “If you keep sucking this way, I’m gonna blow, baby. I can’t control myself. Should I pull out? I can jack all over your face instead.” Ricky looked up and noticed Chad’s red face and the thick vein bulging in his forehead. He’d read stories about men who couldn’t control themselves and he’d seen porn films where actors edged this way to make the scenes more exciting. But this was real. Chad was enjoying this as much as Ricky was and Ricky didn’t want to stop. So Ricky reached down and held his own erection. He looked into Chad’s dark brown eyes, nodded, and grunted with a mouthful of cock. He wanted Chad to come this way. Though he’d never swallowed another man’s load before, everything about it felt natural and right. Chad’s head fell back and his mouth opened wide, then his penis hit the back of Ricky’s throat and exploded. His body jerked and his legs twitched. Ricky closed his eyes and gulped, controlling his gag reflex so he wouldn’t choke on the swallow, jacking his own dick at the same time. With Chad’s dick buried in his mouth, Ricky’s entire body went rigid and he shot a thick stream all over his chest. Then he reached up and started squeezing Chad’s balls. Then he continued sucking until he felt Chad go limp against his tongue. A drop of Chad’s perspiration fell on his cheek. He inhaled and savored Chad’s scent for as long as he could hold his breath. When Chad pulled out, he had to pry Ricky’s lips from his dick because Ricky didn’t want to release it. Ricky smiled. He licked his lips and wiped his chin. “Thank you.”

Chad laughed. He leaned forward and rubbed his balls into Ricky’s nose. “I should be thanking you. That’s the best head I’ve had in a long time. Are you sure you’ve never done this before? You’re a dirty little guy for a beginner.” Ricky shrugged. He took this as a compliment. “You’re the first.” He pressed his palm to his heart. “I swear and hope to die.”

****

While Ricky used the bathroom, Chad got dressed and went downstairs. Chad was the kind of guy who could just put on his clothes, run his fingers through his hair, and look great. Ricky, on the other hand, liked to shower and prepare for the day. If he didn’t, he felt selfconscious and unkempt. That morning he had to splash cold water on his face because his lips were swollen and red from sucking so hard. But he didn’t brush his teeth or rinse out his mouth. He could still taste Chad and he wanted to hold on to that taste for as long as he could. By the time Ricky joined him downstairs, Chad was already seated at the head of the dining room table, reading the newspaper. He was sipping coffee and eating toast as if he lived there. He looked up at Ricky and smiled. “You’ve got a great place here, Henry. I’ll bet it’s worth a small fortune, even in this market.” Ricky shrugged. “I guess. I’m not sure.” He’d never considered this. He’d grown up in this house and he’d always taken it for granted. Chad finished his coffee and stood up from the table. He crossed through the dining room and ran his fingertips across the white column that divided the dining room and living room. “Real estate is always the best investment. You can’t go wrong, Henry.”

Ricky put his hands in his pockets and cleared his throat. “My name’s not Henry. It’s Ricky.” He could still taste Chad’s dick. He didn’t feel right lying about his name anymore. Chad shrugged. “That’s cool. I like Ricky much better.” “You’re not mad?” He would have been mad if he’d been Chad. But he decided not to mention this. “Of course not,” Chad said. “I’ve been told worse. Fake names are the least of it.” In full daylight, Ricky couldn’t help noticing Chad’s adorable ass. He hadn’t put on his black sport jacket yet. His ass was tiny and firm, with two rounds you could hold in each palm. Then he noticed Chad’s athletic legs and his broad shoulders. Chad, in fact, was better looking than Keanu Reeves, and he was better looking than any of the men Ricky had ever fantasized about. Ricky felt a pull in his groin and a tug in his stomach. He still couldn’t believe he’d been with this gorgeous guy all night. He’d lifted his legs and taken his dick, he’d gone down on his knees and sucked him off, and he’d slept with him in his own bed. Thinking about how he’d just sucked him off upstairs, to the finish, a chill passed through his body. Leyland would never believe this. Ricky wished he could take a few photos just to prove it. He was about to ask Chad if he wanted anything else for breakfast when Chad smiled and said, “I guess you’d better pay me now. It’s getting late and I have to get back to New York. I was worried about coming all the way out here last night, but it was worth it.” Ricky’s face fell. He felt a twinge in his gut and his arms went limp at his sides. He should have remembered all this was just a business deal. There were no emotions involved and Chad was just a male prostitute doing his job. So Ricky squared his shoulders and forced a smile. “How much?” “Five hundred bucks,” Chad said. He held out his palm and lifted his chin.

Ricky blinked. “I don’t have that much money in the house.” Chad smiled. “Then we have a problem, man.” “Seriously,” Ricky said. He couldn’t believe Chad was being this matter-of-fact. Not more than one hour ago this guy was trying to get Ricky’s mouth pregnant. Ricky’s jaw still ached, and his lips were still puffy. He stared down at his shoes and said, “Can I send you the money?” Chad walked over to him and placed his palm on the small of his back. He pulled him up against his body and asked, “How much do you have, baby?” Ricky’s heart fluttered. He didn’t care about money anymore. You couldn’t put a price on the way Chad was holding him at that moment. All he cared about was Chad’s big strong hands and his soft, deep voice. He still had some of the money his mom had given him, plus some cash that had been stashed under his bed for an emergency. “I have about two hundred.” Chad’s hand went down and he squeezed Ricky’s ass so hard Ricky’s body jumped and he reached for Chad’s shoulders for support. He closed his eyes and moaned, hoping Chad would take him right there on the dining room table. Ricky would clear the table with the swipe of his arm and pull down his pants. He’d lift up his legs and arch his back. Then he’d look into Chad’s eyes, while Chad pulled his dick out of his pants, and he’d whisper, “Fuck me, Chad. Fuck me now. Give it to me one more time.” But that’s not what happened. Chad shook his head and said, “That’s not a good thing, Ricky. I need five hundred.” He leaned forward and rubbed his stubble against Ricky’s cheek. “After all, I took good care of you last night, didn’t I? And I took very good care of you this morning upstairs, didn’t I? I deserve to be paid.” “Ah well, yes, you did,” Ricky said. He couldn’t argue that point. His ass was still

tingling thanks to Chad’s big dick. All in all, five hundred bucks wasn’t much for one of the best experiences of his life so far, and what might be the best experience of his life altogether. So he shrugged and said, “I have a few bonds at the bank. I could go cash them in.” He ran his hand down between Chad’s legs and grabbed his crotch. To his surprise, Chad had wood in his pants. Ricky hadn’t expected him to be aroused. Ricky just thought he’d get a good cheap feel. He rubbed it and said, “You’re hard.” Chad reached down and grabbed his ass with both hands. He looked into Ricky’s eyes and kissed his nose “You’re hot. I told you that last night. You’re making me hard. For some reason, you make me feel different than the others, Ricky. But I can’t let that get in the way of business. I’m sorry.” Ricky squeezed his dick and kissed his chest. For reasons he didn’t quite understand because he was too young and inexperienced to know better, he felt a sense of empowerment he’d never experienced before. But his instincts kicked in and he started to manipulate Chad by taking control from the bottom without even knowing what he was doing. He knew Chad’s ego, and he knew it needed to be stroked just as much as his dick needed to be stroked. He spoke softly, almost a whisper. “I can pull down my pants again. I can get down on the floor on my hands and knees and make it fast.” He licked Chad’s chin. “I only want to please you, Chad. I hate to see you leave with this guy so excited.” He was talking about Chad’s dick, pulsing in his hand. Chad smiled, then released Ricky’s ass and stepped back. After he adjusted his erection, he said, “I don’t mind waiting for you while you go to the bank, baby. You’re a sweet little thing. I trust you.”

Ricky thought about pursuing the seduction. He had a feeling he could get away with it, too. Though Chad was acting all tough and businesslike, his face was flushed and he had trouble looking Ricky in the eye. But it wouldn’t have been fair. Ricky had called him, he’d worked for his money, and he deserved to get paid. “I won’t be long,” Ricky said. Then he lifted his chin and took a few steps forward. He wanted to see what kind of reaction he’d get, so he kissed Chad on the mouth one more time. When Chad wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer, he ran his palm down the back of Chad’s head—he’d always wanted to do this to a man. There was something between them he couldn’t understand or explain. And when he felt Chad’s tongue against his, he decided to give him six hundred instead of five hundred even if he never saw him again.

****

Ricky didn’t have school that day. The entire school district was off for some kind of yearly teacher function. But he knew the bank would be open. All he had to do was go to the safety deposit box and cash in one bond. There was a stack of them. These bonds had been gifts from his parents. They’d been saving them for years so he could use them for college, or to buy a car, or for some other important life event. Ricky didn’t feel an ounce of guilt. While all his friends had been going out on dates and experiencing normal puberty, he’d been sitting home, playing cards with Leyland. This event with Chad was an important life event and worth every single penny. When Ricky left the house, Chad was sitting outside next to the swimming pool. It wasn’t a hot day, but the sun was strong and Chad said he wanted to get a little color. But when Ricky

returned with an eager step and a huge smile, hoping Chad would fuck him one more time, Chad wasn’t next to the pool and the house was empty. Ricky frowned. He was carrying almost a thousand dollars in his wallet and he couldn’t wait to pay Chad. He even checked the kitchen and the rest of the first floor. He jogged up the stairs and checked all the bedrooms. But there was no sign of Chad anywhere, not a note on the kitchen counter or a message on the bathroom mirror. The waste management truck pulled up outside the house and made a few clanking noises. The yappy little dog across the street barked and the truck went into reverse and made those annoying beeping sounds. Ricky went downstairs and plopped down on the sofa in the living room. He pulled out his wallet and stared at the thick wad of cash in the insert. Then he looked at the coffee table to see if Chad had left a note. But there was nothing. So he sat back and closed his eyes, wondering what had happened and why Chad hadn’t waited for him. He yawned and thought about going upstairs to get a little more sleep. He’d only had about four hours and his eyelids felt heavy. But while he was sitting there, a strange feeling passed through his body. Something wasn’t right; the house wasn’t the same. He opened his eyes and sat up. He looked to the right and stared at the hallway. The tall clock was still ticking and nothing had been moved. Then he looked straight ahead into the dining room. His mother’s baccarat candlestick holders were still on the table and nothing looked out of place there either. He took a quick breath and told himself this was just his imagination running overtime. Everything was fine: the house was the same as he’d left it. But then, just as he was about to go upstairs, he glanced around the living room fast. And when he looked up at the mantel over the fireplace, he felt the same hard thud in his stomach he’d felt when Dawn the she-male had showed up at his doorstep. His mother’s crystal putto was gone.

The gilded base was still on the mantel, but now there was a huge gaping absence between the two candlestick holders. He stood up and crossed the room. He ran his hand across the gilded base and clenched his fist. Then he looked up at the ceiling, shook his head, and said, “Thank you, Chad. You’re a real prince charming.”

Chapter Seven

After Ricky paced the living room for a half hour, mentally kicking himself for being naïve enough to leave a total stranger, no less an escort, in his home alone, he called Leyland’s cell phone so he could tell Leyland what has just happened to his mother’s prized possession. Ricky kept punching the furniture and kicking the rugs. He didn’t care about the putto. The thing that left Ricky’s head pounding was that Chad would betray him this way. He thought there was something between them. He’d never felt this way about anyone or anything. There were many ways people can fake affection, but not with a kiss. It was the penultimate magic of the entire intimate experience. And Ricky found it hard to believe Chad had been faking when he’d kissed him. Ricky had to speak to Leyland. Leyland was his best friend, and he’d been the one who’d piqued Ricky’s interest in all this male escort business in the first place. Ricky figured Leyland might be able to help him find a solution to the problem. When it came to less-than-noble acts, Leyland usually knew what he was doing. And he was always fearless about doing them. But this wasn’t like cheating at cards, shoplifting a CD, or figuring out how to buy beer at the local liquor store. When Ricky met up with Leyland at the mall and told him what had happened, Leyland just shrugged his shoulders and said, “Too bad, man. I feel for you. I know how much your mother loves that tacky angel.” Then he rubbed his palms together and asked, “Tell me all about what happened last night. Did this Chad guy pork you? I want all the details.” His eyes were bulging and he was biting his bottom lip.

They were walking from the food court to the exit. Leyland had just downed four corn dogs and he was wiping grease from his chin and smelling his fingertips. Ricky grabbed Leyland’s jacket and shook him. “That’s all you can say? You’re the one who talked me into all this. You’re the one who invited a she-male to my house. You’re the one who said I should stop worrying so much and start saying, ‘kiss my fucking ass.’ And all you want to know about is what happened last night.” Leyland sent him a blank stare. He licked his fingers and wiped them on his jeans. “And you listened to me? I wasn’t serious. Half the time I’m so full of shit I don’t even believe myself when I’m talking. I didn’t tell you to hire another escort and leave him alone in the house. You did that. You wanted to get porked and you got it.” “I have to get that angel back,” Ricky said. Leyland was right. Ricky couldn’t blame him for what had happened last night. “And I have to get it before my parents come home.” When he thought about how his mother would react to the missing angel, the thud in his stomach returned and he felt a little lightheaded. “I’ll give Chad the cash. But I want the angel back. It’s worth one hundred times more than the amount of cash he wanted.” “Just tell your mother the house was robbed while you were out,” Leyland said. “You’ll never find this guy again, and the whole town will be better off without that ugly fucking angel.” “That won’t work. Nothing else was touched. It doesn’t even make sense to me. I have to get it back.” “How are you going to do that?” They were outside now, walking toward the mall parking lot. Leyland’s mother had dropped him off and Ricky was giving him a ride home. Leyland leaned into a large concrete-and-pebble waste container and folded his arms across his chest.

Ricky stopped and ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Are you coming with me?” “Sure. When?” “Right now,” Ricky said. “Let’s go.” “I can’t do it now,” Leyland said. “I have math homework, and we still have to come up with an idea for the entrepreneurial project.” His tone became softer, far less bold and obnoxious. He sounded more like a twelve-year-old than an eighteen-year-old. “Thanks, buddy,” Ricky said. He turned his back and started walking to the car. He couldn’t believe his best friend would abandon him this way, so he stopped walking and looked back. Leyland’s back was still against the waste container and his arms were still folded across his chest. Ricky leaned forward and gaped at him. “Are you coming or what?” ****

They returned to Ricky’s house and Ricky started making phone calls. Leyland backtracked on the computer (he’d deleted the number from his cell phone), found Dawn’s phone number, and Ricky called Dawn first. He left a message on Dawn’s voice mail and begged Dawn to return his call. Dawn was his only hope of finding Chad. Ricky knew if he called Chad himself, Chad would never return his call. After all, Dawn had been the one to recommend Chad in the first place, and Ricky figured that if Dawn knew Chad even slightly, Dawn might know where Chad hung out in New York. Ricky assumed these escort types all traveled in the same circles. They crossed paths often and followed the same protocol. By the time Dawn returned Ricky’s call, Ricky was ready to open the liquor cabinet and pour a tall glass of vodka. It was after six in the evening and Ricky had given up almost all hope

of ever finding Chad or his mother’s angel. But Dawn not only returned the call, he sounded upset, and sympathetic to Ricky’s situation. He told Ricky he ran an honest, upscale business and he never mistreated his clients by stealing from them. Discretion and trust were two key ingredients and he despised other escorts who didn’t hold the same set of standards. Then he told Ricky he didn’t want to get involved and he didn’t want Ricky to use his name, but he mentioned a few places in Manhattan where Ricky might run into Chad. Though Ricky and Leyland didn’t know anything definite, when they hung up with Dawn they jumped into the Porsche and drove to Manhattan. This was the first time Ricky had ever driven in New York and he probably should have taken his mother’s minivan. For some reason he couldn’t explain, he was feeling bolder and stronger now. After being with Chad, he wasn’t worried about little things like dented fenders and the expression on his father’s face if he knew Ricky was driving the Porsche. As it turned out, driving in New York wasn’t much different from driving in New Jersey. It just looked worse than it really was. They parked at an indoor garage across the street from a large midtown Manhattan hotel. Then they went into the hotel bar area and sat at a table near the entrance, between two tall potted palms in massive porcelain urns, where they could see everyone coming and going through the main lobby without appearing conspicuous. The grand lobby was virtually empty at that hour and it wasn’t difficult to see who was coming and going. Ricky kept his head held high and his expression blank. Before they’d left the house, Ricky had put on a white dress shirt and a dark sport jacket and he’d made Leyland dress the same. Ricky wanted to appear older than eighteen. Iit must have worked, because the young redheaded guy in his mid-twenties who waited on them didn’t even flinch when Ricky ordered two vodka martinis.

Ricky knew the redheaded waiter was gay the moment he opened his mouth to speak. It wasn’t because he was overly effeminate or walked with a swish. Ricky knew this from the look in his eyes and the way he smiled at Ricky when he asked what they wanted. And when he placed their drinks on the table and said, “If you need anything else, just yell and I’ll come running,” and stared at Ricky’s lips, Ricky had no doubt about it. Ricky smiled and said, “Thank you.” The waiter was cute, with pale green eyes that sparkled when he smiled. Ricky flirted shamelessly and enjoyed doing it. But Leyland wasn’t as quick to pick this up. He poked Ricky in the arm and said, “Do you think he’s gay?” His face had flushed and he kept looking over his shoulder to see where the waiter had gone. “Definitely,” Ricky said. “And he’s a top.” Ricky would have bet his life on this. He could see it in the guy’s eyes and by the way the guy was looking between his legs. He lifted his glass and took a sip. Neither of them drank often and they both knew how to sip and make it last for a long time. “I think so, too,” Leyland said. “And did you see what was going on between his legs? That guy’s got the dick of death packed down in those tight black pants. And I hear redheaded guys in particular have nice dicks. I’ll bet it’s big and thick, with a nice red bush.” Ricky laughed. Though he tended to be crude, Leyland was usually right about these things. “I’ve heard that, too.” Ricky had always been the one to worry and he’d always depended on Leyland’s aggressiveness, and it was beginning to dawn on Ricky that he knew how to take control and handle things on his own. This, Ricky now realized, was because Leyland was still speaking from inexperience. If it hadn’t been for Chad, Ricky would still be just as inexperienced. But what Ricky had done the night before had changed him somehow. Thinking

about the things he’d done with Chad lifted his eyebrows and squared his shoulders. He couldn’t actually describe it, but he was a man now, older and wiser, as if he’d taken a crash course in life and crossed an invisible line of no return. While Leyland continued to follow the waiter around the room with his eyes, Ricky kept his back straight and his eyes focused on the main entrance. If Chad was about to walk through that door, Ricky wasn’t going to miss him. About a half hour after the waiter set down their drinks, sure enough, Chad ambled into the hotel with a man twice his age. Chad was still wearing the soft black sport jacket and the cream-colored slacks he’d worn the day before. The older guy had salt-and-pepper hair, a ruddy complexion, and he was wearing a dark business suit with narrow pinstripes. His shirt was pale blue and his tie red, which quirked Ricky’s eyebrows. If there were two color combinations that made Ricky’s stomach turn, they were red and pale blue. Ricky kept his head straight and his eyes on Chad. They stopped in the middle of the lobby, directly across from where Leyland and Ricky were seated, and they were talking about something serious. Chad’s eyebrows were furrowed and his lips were pinched. Though Ricky couldn’t see the older man’s face, the older man was talking with his hands a great deal and his arms were flailing in all directions. Ricky poked Leyland and said, “He’s here.” “Where?” Ricky nodded to the lobby. “Standing over there, talking to the old guy with the gray hair and the pinstriped suit.” Ricky frowned. The old guy had to be at least forty. Leyland sat up and faced the lobby. When he saw the two men standing there, he pressed his palm to his chest and said, “That’s Chad? The guy in the black jacket? The one with the dark hair and the strong chin?”

Ricky nodded and continued to watch them. Leyland took another sip of his martini and leaned on the table with his elbows. “He looks like a fucking professional hockey player, like those guys you see on the six o’clock news being interviewed in the locker room.” Ricky smiled. “That’s good old Chad, all right.” He could still taste him. He looked just as good from a distance as he did up close. Leyland moved closer. He looked around to see if anyone was listening and asked, “Did he pork you? Does he have a big dick? Did you suck him off?” He couldn’t take his eyes off Chad. He was gawking and his mouth was half open. Ricky shrugged. “Yes, yes, and yes,” he said, answering all of Leyland’s questions. Leyland grabbed his sleeve. “Give him the fucking angel.” Without moving his head Ricky said, “Huh?” “He’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen,” Leyland said. “Give him the fucking angel, the car, and the deed to the house if he wants it. He deserves it.” While Leyland rattled on about Chad’s good looks, Ricky continued to stare. He clenched his fists beneath the table and tried willing Chad to look at him. All this concentration must have worked, because Chad eventually turned his head slightly to the right and gazed in Ricky’s direction. He didn’t smile; his expression remained stoic. But when he locked eyes with Ricky, Ricky felt a strong sensation pass through his body. The sensation ran from his groin up to his temples, leaving him warmer and slightly out of breath. Leyland grabbed Ricky’s arm. “He’s looking right at you.” “I know,” Ricky said. He remained expressionless as well. Then, just before Chad and the older guy started walking toward the elevators, Ricky lifted his hand and nodded at Chad.

When Chad was out of sight, Ricky’s shoulders slumped and he sighed. He picked up his drink, finished the last swallow, and said, “Let’s go home.” “Huh?” “Let’s go.” “We came all the way into the city for this?” Ricky frowned. He’d planned on confronting Chad. He’d planned on chasing him down, cornering him, and doing anything he had to do to get his mom’s angel back. He’d had even been prepared to fight Chad if that’s what it took. He wasn’t leaving New York without that angel in his hands. But when Ricky saw Chad standing there, talking to a man twice his age, and when he saw Chad’s defeated expression, his legs froze and his body didn’t want to move. Seeing Chad in this vulnerable position tugged at Ricky’s heart in a way he couldn’t have predicted an hour earlier. The dull thud in his stomach became a sharp twist. The only thing he wanted to do was get up, run over to Chad, and put his arms around him. But Ricky knew this was impossible. They came from two different worlds that would never meet. So the next best thing was to get out of that hotel and go back home to figure out what he was going to tell his mother about the putto. Maybe there was still time to find one just like it. Ricky stood up and left a twenty-dollar bill on the table. He smiled at Leyland and said, “Let’s go.” Leyland gulped down the last of his martini and followed him out the door with a swagger in his step. He complained all through the lobby and out on the sidewalk about leaving. He didn’t understand why Ricky wasn’t going after Chad to get the angel back. Ricky didn’t say a word. He knew if he tried to explain his feelings to Leyland it wouldn’t have done any good. He wasn’t even sure what he was feeling. All he knew was he couldn’t do anything to hurt Chad.

Confronting Chad about the stolen putto would have been far more difficult than dealing with his mother and father. Ricky’s mother and father would survive the loss and they’d either replace the putto or find something similar, and just as stupid, for his mother to obsess about. But Ricky wasn’t so sure about how Chad would survive. When the parking attendant drove the Porsche to the end of the garage, Ricky handed him a ticket stub and reached for the keys. But as Leyland was about to open his door, a deep voice from behind said, “Ricky, is this your car?” Ricky’s eyes opened wide. When he turned, Chad was standing next to him. “It might be my car.” He wanted to play this cool. “Why do you ask?” He felt like a character in an old blackand-white movie. “I need to talk,” Chad said. Ricky folded his arms across his chest and said, “Then let’s talk.” He was stunned to see Chad had followed him outside. He wasn’t going to confront Chad about the putto that moment. But he also wasn’t going to let the incident slide altogether. Chad spoke fast, with a hint of panic in his voice. “Let’s talk in the car.” Ricky motioned to the door. “By all means, get in and we’ll talk.” Then Ricky sent Leyland a glance. Poor Leyland was standing beside the passenger door with wide eyes and an open mouth. When Ricky nodded at the backseat, Leyland opened the door and pushed the front seat forward without asking any questions. Then Chad and Ricky jumped into the car at the same time. Ricky switched on the engine and Chad locked the doors from the passenger seat. “Would you do something for me?” Chad asked.

“You want me to do something for you?” Ricky asked. “You’ve been playing with my mom’s putto, and that wasn’t nice.” “Her what? I never touched your mother.” He lowered his eyebrows and sent Ricky a curious frown. “The crystal angel you took. It’s called a putto. I want it back.” “Fine,” Chad said. “I’ll get the angel for you. Just drive now. We have to get out of here.” Before Chad could even finish the sentence, the older man in the pinstriped suit crossed the street and started waving at them. He walked fast and pointed at the Porsche. “Chad, get out of that car and get over here. I’m not joking anymore.” Ricky ignored the man. This guy meant nothing to him. Leyland’s eyes grew wide and he gripped the seats. “Ricky, start the car and get moving. This guy looks like trouble, seriously.” Ricky ignored Leyland. But when the guy reached the car and started banging on the roof, Ricky shouted, “Hey, asshole. Get the fuck off my car.” “Get out of here,” Chad said. He didn’t shout. But his voice went higher. Leyland grabbed Ricky’s shoulder. “This guy isn’t joking, buddy.” The guy banged on the passenger window and said, “Open the fucking window, Chad.” “Get the fuck out of here, Carson,” Chad shouted. “We have to leave right now,” Leyland said. Ricky wasn’t ready to leave. He wanted an explanation from Chad. But when the guy pulled a gun from his pocket and waved it in front of the window, Leyland pointed and said, “This guy’s not playing, Ricky. Get the fuck out of here.”

Ricky turned, hesitated for a second, then looked back and forth. There weren’t many people on the sidewalk and the street was empty. So he put the car in first gear and sped out of the garage, leaving the guy standing on the sidewalk waving both arms above his head. When they were a couple of blocks away, Ricky slowed down and asked, “Who was the asshole with the gun?” Ricky was from the suburbs; if people had handguns they were kept in locked safes. “He’s my boss,” Chad said. “This is my best friend, Leyland,” Ricky said. “Leyland, this is Chad.” Leyland just nodded and smiled. He was still gripping the seats, his face had reddened, and there were beads of sweat dripping down his cheeks. “Nice to meet you, Leyland,” Chad said. “Hope you don’t mind a little excitement in your life.” Then he reached forward and turned on the radio. He didn’t seem the least bit upset anymore. His hands were stable and he sat back in his seat and smiled. “Where are we going?” Ricky asked Chad in a low voice.. Though he didn’t resent Chad, he wasn’t too thrilled about this new state of affairs Chad had gotten him into. “Don’t know,” Chad said. “Are we heading in the right direction, at least?” Ricky asked, with a hint of sarcasm. “Just keep driving.” This sounded like an order, and for some reason Ricky couldn’t explain, it made him clench his teeth. “This guy, the one you said is your boss. He’s really your pimp, isn’t he?” Chad looked at him and sighed. “Wow,” he said. “You’re brighter than you look, Ricky. You figured that out all on your own.”

Ricky let that one go; he knew he’d sounded stupid by asking. He pulled up to a red light and stopped. A huge black SUV pulled up beside them on the right and the driver lowered the window. It was Carson, Chad’s boss. He’d been following them and they hadn’t known it. He pointed the gun and said, “Pull the fuck over now.” “Oh, fuck me,” Chad said. Then he lifted his hand, gave Carson the middle finger, and shouted, “You’re a big man, Carson, waving that gun around like that. What are you gonna do now, kill us all?” “Oh, this is rich,” Leyland said. His face had turned a pale shade of grayish white by then. “I’m supposed to be working on a project for school, at home in my quiet suburban New Jersey neighborhood, and I’m being chased by Carson the pimp through midtown Manhattan.” The light changed and Ricky smiled. He’d never felt this strong or confident in his life. He heart raced with excitement; he clenched his jaw and focused on the road. He knew the Porsche could leave the huge SUV in the dust. He looked back and Leyland and said, “I can take him. I know it can.” Then he hit the gas, sped through the red light, and headed toward the West Side Highway. Carson the pimp followed them, through side streets, back alleys, and down main venues. Because they were in Manhattan Ricky had to play it safe so he wouldn’t hit any pedestrians or slam into any other vehicles. But he knew how to maneuver the Porsche well. When he made a fast right into a dark alley and the SUV followed him, Ricky kept the car steady and balanced while the SUV banged into buildings and trash cans. At the end of the alley, Ricky slipped between a taxi and a bus and made a hard left onto Eighth Avenue. “I’m going to puke,” Leyland said.

Ricky ignored Leyland. His goal was to reach the Lincoln Tunnel, but he had to lose Carson first, so he took Carson in a few more circles, turning down narrow one way streets and ducking into alleyways, until he finally lost him two blocks away from the tunnel. It happened at the end of an alley. Ricky was way ahead by then. He turned right, pulled between a bus and a truck, and switched off his headlights. When he looked into the rearview mirror, he saw the black SUV turn left and continue in the opposite direction. When Ricky finally knew it was safe, he put the car in gear and headed toward the tunnel. He drove slowly now, moving through the streets with the rest of the traffic as if nothing unusual had happened. He even turned and smiled at Chad. He looked into his eyes and asked, “Are you okay?” “I’m good,” Chad said. He returned the smile and placed his palm on top of Chad’s hand. “I like the way you drive. You always seem to surprise me, Ricky. You shocked me last night more than once, and I can’t believe what you just did.” Ricky shrugged. He liked the way Chad’s hand felt against his. “It was nothing.” Leyland sat back in his seat and rolled his eyes. “Fuck you both.” He was drenched in perspiration and the thick brown hair that framed his forehead had formed tiny little ringlets.

Chapter Eight

Before they left Manhattan, Chad asked Ricky if they could make one quick stop. Now that Carson was after him, Chad couldn’t go back his apartment and stay there for any length of time. It was too dangerous and Carson couldn’t be trusted. But Chad said he couldn’t leave his pet Sparky there all alone either. So Ricky took a deep breath and drove downtown to a small narrow brick building on the west side. He figured Sparky was either a cat or a dog, and he couldn’t refuse Chad anything even if he’d wanted to. Chad jumped out of the car and said he’d only be a minute while Ricky and Leyland waited at the curb in a fire zone. “I can’t believe what just happened,” Leyland said. He looked around and raised his arms. Ricky smiled. He couldn’t believe it either. “What do you think of Chad?” Leyland sighed and shook his head. “Let’s just say that after seeing Chad in person, I can understand why we’re sitting here waiting for him. You don’t run into guys like him every day, that’s for sure.” “No you don’t,” Ricky said, remembering a few of the things he’d done with Chad the night before. He’d always thought having a man of his own would be a novelty. And now he realized it was more like a dream come true. Because while Chad was getting Sparky, all Ricky could think about was how he was going to get back into Chad’s beige pants later that night. When he imagined Chad’s dick in his mouth, he looked up at the ceiling and rolled his eyes. “I wonder what kind of dog Sparky is,” Leyland said. “I hope he’s not too big. It’s tight back here.” Ricky shrugged. “I don’t have a clue. He didn’t mention a pet last night.”

They found out soon enough that Sparky wasn’t a dog or a cat. When Chad came loping out of the building carrying a rectangular box covered with a black cloth, Ricky and Leyland gave each other looks. When he pushed the front seat forward so he could hand the cloth-covered box to Leyland, he only said, “Try not to let him tip sideways. Keep him straight and balanced.” Leyland took the box and said, “What the fuck is this? It feels like an aquarium.” Chad slumped down in his seat and closed the car door. “It is an aquarium,” he said. “It’s where Sparky lives.” Ricky blinked. Leyland’s eyes grew wide and his head went back. “This had better not be a snake. I don’t like snakes, Chad.” He tapped the back of Ricky seat. With panic in his voice he said, “It had better not be a snake.” “Relax, dude,” Chad said. “Sparky is an iguana, not a snake. And he’s still young so he’s not very large. He’s totally harmless and very friendly.” Leyland lifted the dark fabric and peeked inside to see what was living in the aquarium on his lap. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. “This night is getting weirder all the time.” After that, Ricky left New York and headed back to his house in New Jersey. On the way, they stopped off at a large pet store so Chad could pick up a few grasshoppers and crickets for Sparky’s dinner. Leyland waited inside the car with Sparky while Ricky and Chad went into the store. Ricky just stood there in amazement, watching as the pet store clerk scooped crickets and grasshoppers out of aquariums and placed them in large clear plastic bags. At the cash register, Ricky offered to pay. But Chad reached out, held his wrist, and said, “I’ll pay for them myself. But thanks, buddy.”

Then they all headed back to the subdivision and dropped Leyland off at his door. Leyland practically ran from the car all the way up his front walk. When he reached his door, he turned, waved, and told Ricky he’d pick him up for school in the morning. Ricky smiled and waved back, then drove to his house with Chad’s hand on his knee the entire time. They didn’t even bother putting the Porsche inside the garage that night. Before Ricky had a chance to switch off the headlights, Chad’s arms were around him and he was kissing Ricky’s neck. Chad told Ricky he liked the way he smelled. He said Ricky reminded him of cedar chips and hot chocolate and apologized if that sounded silly. They kissed long enough to fog up the windows and loosen Ricky’s pants. Then Chad suggested they go inside so Sparky wouldn’t freeze to death. While Chad’s tongue explored Ricky’s ear, he told Ricky that Sparky needed to be kept at a certain temperature at all times and he had a heated rock inside the aquarium that had to be plugged into an outlet. Ricky pulled up his zipper and carried the two bags of bugs. Chad carried the aquarium inside and placed it on the kitchen island. He didn’t even pull the cover off. He just tossed a few bugs inside, plugged the heated rock into an outlet, and said goodnight to Sparky. Then he turned and walked to where Ricky was standing beside the kitchen table and placed his hands on Ricky’s hips. He pulled Ricky closer and kissed his forehead. “Let’s go upstairs now,” he said, with the same low voice that had made Ricky’s knees weak the first time they’d been together. Chad kept his hand firmly planted to the small of Ricky’s back, guiding him gently through the front hall, up the stairs, and all the way into Ricky’s bedroom, until they reached Ricky’s bed. Then Chad stepped back and started to remove his clothes while Ricky stood there watching. Chad reminded Ricky of a movie star in clothes and a porn star naked. Ricky’s lips parted when Chad unbuttoned his shirt and tossed it onto a chair, exposing his round chest

muscles and elevated abs. He pressed his palm to his chest when Chad removed his shoes, socks, and slacks. By the time he was down to his briefs and Ricky saw his erection poking through the fabric, Ricky couldn’t control his urges. So he went down on his knees and buried his face between Chad’s legs and inhaled as deeply as he could. He still smelled damp and tweedy, only stronger now. While Ricky kissed, licked, and rubbed his face up and down between Chad’s legs, Chad took the back of Ricky’s head in both hands and guided him gently. Chad spread his legs and leaned back. He closed his eyes and whispered, “I don’t know what it is, Ricky. But there’s something about you that makes me hard as a fucking rock. I’m gonna start calling you V for short when we’re alone together. I haven’t felt like this since I was sixteen.” Ricky looked up and gazed at him with large, innocent eyes. “V?” Chad nodded. “V, for Viagra,” he said. “I told you the last time, remember? You know how to get me hard without even trying.” “But you’re young,” Ricky said. “Why would you even need Viagra?” Ricky knew his father took Viagra. He’d seen the bottle of blue pills in his parents’ medicine cabinet. But Chad wasn’t much older than Ricky. A guy his age shouldn’t have needed anything to maintain an erection. Chad frowned and said, “You’d be surprised how many times I’ve had to take Viagra. In my line of work an erection is everything and I have to perform whether I feel like it or not. All the guys I know take it. Age doesn’t matter. If a guy isn’t turned on and he’s not excited about who he’s with, it’s just not going to work. But with Viagra there aren’t any problems. It’s made my life a lot easier.”

Though Ricky hated to think about Chad with other men, he wasn’t stupid and he wasn’t looking at this situation with an unrealistic viewpoint. Chad was a prostitute and it was as simple and as complicated as that. But he wanted to make sure Chad wasn’t faking it with him, so he lowered his eyebrows and said, “But you’re not taking Viagra now.” Chad laughed. “No way, Ricky. I don’t need it with you. You are my Viagra.” Then Chad guided Ricky up to a standing position so he could undress him. His large, strong hands worked gently to remove everything Ricky was wearing. He even squatted down and pulled Ricky’s socks off, massaging each foot. Though Ricky enjoyed this attention, and Chad’s competent hands made him feel warm and secure all over, he couldn’t wait for Chad to lower him to the bed, lift his legs up high, and enter him again. He was a beginner; like most gay men who had missed a good deal of their teenage years, he had to work hard to control all those pent-up urges he’d been experiencing since the onset of puberty. But Chad had different plans that night. He reached down and rubbed his hands up and down Ricky’s bare ass and smiled. “You’re going to bottom from the top tonight.” “Huh?” Chad laughed. “Just follow my lead, Ricky.” Then he went down on the bed, flat on his back, and threw his hands behind his head. When Chad did this, Ricky licked his lips and climbed onto the lower half of the bed. Being naked with a man like Chad made his heart race and his body shiver. Ricky even felt like a porn star in the many porn films he’d watched on the Internet. He knew Chad was watching everything he did. So he leaned forward slowly, spread his legs wide, and arched his back so his bare ass would be high in the air. His goal was to be gentle with Chad, like a sinewy alley cat slithering around a dark alley searching for a mouse. When he was in position and his legs were

as far apart as they would go, he placed one hand on Chad’s firm thigh and reached for Chad’s dick with the other. He wrapped his fingers around Chad’s shaft, made a loose fist, and started sucking the head of Chad’s erection. Then he started jacking Chad off while he sucked. His face went up and down, with the top of his fist pressed to his lips, jacking and sucking until Chad began to moan and grunt aloud. Chad’s legs wiggled and his pelvis bucked. Though he wasn’t obnoxious, Ricky heard him murmuring things like, “Oh yeah. That’s good. I like that, baby.” At one point, while Ricky was sucking pre-come, Chad placed both hands on the back of Ricky’s head and whispered, “Nobody ever sucked my dick as good as you are doing it right now.” Though Ricky wasn’t sure if Chad was being sincere, it did boost Ricky’s ego and he continued to suck and work even harder. His cheeks indented until his jaw ached; his head bobbed up and down until his neck cramped. But he didn’t complain once. His lips and tongue went numb, but the taste of Chad’s sweet pre-come compensated for the discomfort. And Chad’s unique masculine scent drove him just as wild now as it had the first time he’d sucked Chad off. In all honesty, he would have sucked Chad off to the finish if Chad hadn’t reached down and said, “Get the condom out of my jacket and cover me.” Ricky looked up at him and raised his eyebrows. He had half of Chad’s dick in his mouth and he didn’t want to stop. He’d reached that point where he was past the aching and discomfort and now he wanted to finish what he’d started. But Chad caressed the sides of his face with both hands and said, “Go get the condom. And walk slowly so I can watch you come and go. I like looking at your body.” Ricky shrugged and nodded. While Chad continued to stare into his eyes, Ricky released Chad’s dick from his mouth. He grabbed it with his hand and rested it on Chad’s abdomen, then

stood up and walked to the chair where Chad had left his jacket. Chad watched every move he made. By the time he returned with the condom, Chad’s lips were pursed and he was jacking slowly. Ricky sent him a tender glance and smiled. “That’s hot.” “What’s hot?” Ricky shrugged. “Watching you jack off that way. It’s hot. If you want to finish yourself off like that I don’t mind. I’d like to watch you.” Chad released his dick. “We’ll do that another time. Right now I just want you to put the condom on me and sit on it.” When he gave directions, he was so polite and cautious, as if he were avoiding words that might frighten or offend Ricky. It filled Ricky with a sense of trust. So Ricky climbed back into bed, kneeled between Chad’s legs, and ripped the condom package open. Then he gently covered Chad as much as he could. Though the extra-large condom covered most of Chad, there were still two inches at the bottom of his shaft he left exposed. He couldn’t help it. He tugged and pulled the condom down as far as he could, but he didn’t want to break it. There was nothing Ricky could do, and he knew it was safe as long as the head was covered, so he spread his legs, inched forward, and straddled Chad’s hips. He arched his back and leaned forward. He pressed his palms against Chad’s chest, squeezed his muscles a few times, and asked, “Is this okay?” Chad smiled and reached for his dick. “It’s perfect, Ricky. All you have to do now it sit back and ride me.” It was easier said than done with a man like Chad, especially since Chad hadn’t opened Ricky up with his fingers the way he had the last time they’d fucked. At first, while Chad guided his erection into Ricky’s body, Ricky had to close his eyes and count to ten. He held his breath

and clenched his teeth. There was a moment of such unbelievable blinding pain, Ricky’s nuts jumped up in his scrotum and he had to push them down again. At one point, he thought he might fall over and die. But Chad was gentle and he worked himself inside Ricky’s body with care. When he noticed Ricky in pain, he stopped and waited until Ricky was ready to continue. When the pain subsided and he was all the way inside, Ricky experienced the same sense of fullness he’d experienced the last time. In fact, it felt so good Ricky started grinding his hips and half circles to see it he could get it into his body deeper. Ricky found it amazing that he could slide between pain and pleasure so quickly. Chad grabbed his hips. “How does that feel?” Ricky couldn’t speak. His eyes were closed and his arms were up over his head by then. So he nodded and sighed with a high-pitched noise that resembled a cross between a squeal and a grunt. Then he started riding Chad’s dick faster, until the bed frame squeaked and the back of his ass slapped against Chad’s pelvis. After that, Ricky lost all track of time. With Chad buried inside him this way, he only wanted to concentrate on what he was doing, enjoying every last inch of pleasure. Ricky felt like one of those merry-go-round ponies, riding up and down to the beat of the organ music, with Chad’s thick hard pole passing through his body, connecting him and keeping him balanced. By the time Chad bit his lip and started slapping Ricky’s ass hard, Ricky was riding so fast he couldn’t even feel it. If he’d been more experienced that night, he would have begged Chad to slap him even harder. The more the bed rocked and squeaked, the redder Chad’s face turned. At one point his upper half went forward, his legs started to move back and forth, and he nodded his head up and down. “Don’t stop, Ricky. Here it comes.”

Ricky grabbed his own dick, maintaining the rhythm. He wanted Chad to come this way. In the porn films he’d seen, which had been his only viable references to men loving other men, the guys always pulled out and jacked off before they climaxed. Rarely did any of the guys actually climax inside their partners. Ricky was always left disappointed by this, because climaxing inside, to him, was the ultimate experience. So he tightened his sphincter and clamped down on the shaft. A second or two after that, Chad filled the condom inside Ricky’s body. Then Ricky jacked a couple of times, tossed his head back, and shot so far his load hit Chad in the middle of the forehead. Chad rested his head back so Ricky’s come wouldn’t drip down his face. He laughed and said, “Damn. You’re a shooter. You should have warned me first.” Ricky covered his mouth with his hand and said, “I’m sorry. I’ll get a washcloth.” But Chad grabbed his hips and said, “No. I want to stay inside. Lean forward and clean it off right now.” Ricky looked at him and tilted his head. Chad was still deep inside his body and he didn’t feel like getting up yet. So he nodded and said, “Yeah? You sure?” Chad squeezed his ass. “It’s sexy. But if you don’t want to do it you don’t have to. Not all guys are into that sort of thing. Actually, I’m not into it myself. But I like watching other guys do it. Maybe it’s too weird. Forget about it. I don’t want you to do anything that makes you uncomfortable.” Ricky smiled. “It’s not weird.” He didn’t mention this aloud to Chad, but Ricky usually cleaned up his own come. He liked the taste. He couldn’t help himself. Doing it was as instinctive to him as looking both ways when he crossed a busy street.

So Ricky leaned forward and kissed Chad on the lips. Then his tongue slid up Chad’s nose and he starting licking Chad’s forehead clean. While he licked, Chad moaned and squeezed his ass. He knew Chad was enjoying it, so he licked a few places two or three times just to prolong the moment. When he was finished, he looked down at Chad and asked, “Can I kiss you now?” He wasn’t sure how Chad would react. The taste of his come was still in his mouth and he thought it would be hot to kiss this way. Chad hesitated for a second, as if he wasn’t sure. He smiled at Ricky and said, “I’m supposed to be teaching you new things, not you teaching me new things.” Then he grabbed the back of Ricky’s head with both hands, pulled it toward his face, and stuck his tongue as far into Ricky’s mouth as he could. They continued to kiss until Chad’s penis went limp and it slid out of Ricky’s body on its own. After Ricky removed the condom and slid off Chad’s body, Chad pushed him down on the mattress, climbed halfway on top of him, and fell asleep as fast as he’d drifted off the night before. But this time Ricky didn’t have any problem falling asleep on his back. As his eyelids grew heavy, he wrapped his arms around Chad’s broad shoulders and caressed Chad’s shiny black hair until everything went blank.

Chapter Nine

“How is everything, sweetie?” Ricky’s mother asked. She was calling early because she knew she’d catch him before he went to school. “I just wanted to touch base to see how you’re doing.” Ricky rolled his eyes. If she only knew. He was sitting in the dining room, dressed for school in khakis and a white polo shirt, while Chad the prostitute was in her immaculate kitchen preparing Ricky’s breakfast. “It’s all good, Mom,” he said. “Everything’s fine here.” He heard pots clanking and dishes being moved around. “I wanted to give you our flight information, dear,” his mother said. Chad walked into the room carrying a pitcher of orange juice. He was barefoot, and he wasn’t wearing any pants; just an oversized plaid flannel shirt of Ricky’s that barely covered his private parts, and no underwear. He smiled at Ricky and poured the juice, rubbing the side of his body up against Ricky’s shoulder a couple of times on purpose. When Ricky looked down, his eyes grew wide. He could see Chad’s genitals moving around beneath the plaid shirt. “Hold on, Mom,” Ricky said. “I’ll write the information down.” He looked back and forth, but there wasn’t a pen in sight. And because he wanted to get off the phone with her as fast as he could, he didn’t want to get up and get one. So he sat up and said, “Okay, I’m writing it down,” then pretended to write it down, hoping he’d remember the details when it was time to pick them up at the airport. Besides, he knew she’d probably repeat the same information again before the week was over.

When she was finished, she asked how everything else was and if he had enough money. He smiled and said, “I’m fine. It’s all good here.” Then he watched the back of Chad’s body as Chad strutted back to the kitchen. His legs and his tight little ass were just as hot from behind as they were from up front. When he dropped a napkin and bent over in the doorway to retrieve it, the plaid shirt rode up and exposed half of his naked ass. Ricky gulped and took a deep breath. When he thought about the sex he’d had with Chad so far, he felt almost giddy. He was more than stunned when it occurred to him that straight people his age had been doing these fantastic things with each other while he’d been playing cards with Leyland and studying for tests. Then his mother said, “Are you okay, dear?” “I’m fine, Mom,” Ricky said. “I just drank some orange juice too fast and it went down the wrong pipe. How’s Aunt Nan doing?” He couldn’t have cared less about Aunt Nan. She was his father’s older sister and he hadn’t seen her in more than ten years. His last memory of her was that one Christmas when she gave him socks and mittens with reindeer plastered everywhere. “She’s fine, dear,” his mother said. Ricky glanced into the kitchen. At the same time, Chad stared back and him, smiled, and trilled his fingers. After that, Ricky’s his mother repeated the flight info one more time, reminded him to eat well and study hard, then sent him an invisible kiss through the phone. When he hung up, he set the phone on the dining table and looked down at his plate. Chad had cooked him a full-course breakfast that consisted of eggs, bacon, pancakes, and toast. The eggs were so runny he’d need a soup spoon to eat them. The bacon was so undercooked it stuck to the plate in long, wet strands. And the pancakes and toast were so charred they couldn’t be saved no matter how much he tried to scrape them. But when he looked up and saw Chad reach for something on a shelf above the

kitchen sink with both hands, and the plaid shirt rose up and exposed the thick brown penis dangling between his legs, Ricky bit into a burnt slice of toast and smiled. As he swallowed, he realized this was the best breakfast anyone had ever cooked for him. “Was that your mother?” Chad asked. He’d moved to the other side of the kitchen and Ricky couldn’t see him anymore. He’d made himself at home, pulling mugs from cabinets and utensils from drawers as if he’d been living there forever. “Yes,” Ricky said. “That was my mother.” He swallowed a spoonful of wet egg and scrunched his lips. He shook his head, swallowed fast, and took a sip of juice to wash it down. Chad had used way too much salt. “She sends you her love.” He smiled. He could only imagine his mother’s expression if she knew there was a half-naked male prostitute moving around in her neat, clean kitchen as if he owned it. Chad appeared in the doorway with his naked legs apart, carrying a pot of freshly brewed coffee. “I’m sure she did,” he said. When Chad poured the coffee, Ricky slid his hand up Chad’s leg, under the plaid shirt, and grabbed his dick. This was becoming a serious problem. He couldn’t keep his hands off Chad. He tried to control himself, but all he wanted to do was drop to the floor, open his mouth, and swing from between Chad’s legs. Evidently, Chad enjoyed the attention. Though he was soft at first, Ricky felt it growing in his hand the minute he touched it. But Chad stepped back and pointed to the table. “Eat your breakfast. You’re a growing boy and you need to replenish all the energy you used last night.” Then he sat down at the table across from Ricky and sighed. Ricky ate half a slice of burnt toast in two bites and washed down the bitter charcoal taste with orange juice, forcing a smile so he wouldn’t offend Chad. Good thing Chad looked like

Keanu Reeves, because he would have starved to death as a cook. “What’s the story with you and Carson the pimp?” He turned to the side and looked down, hoping to see if the plaid shirt had risen and exposed Chad’s dick. There were moments that morning when Ricky still felt as if he were in a dream. It was hard to believe a strong, dark-haired stud was sitting across from him half naked. But more than that, they were talking and relating as if they’d known each other all their lives. Chad just frowned and took a sip of black coffee. “I quit and Carson’s pissed.” “Why did you quit?” He couldn’t see anything. The shirt was at the top of his hips. But his genitals were completely covered. Chad sat back and lifted the shirt. When he exposed his right side, Ricky forgot all about his dick and stared in amazement. There was a large black-and-blue bruise just below his waistline. Ricky hadn’t noticed it before. They’d only been together in the dark and he’d been so excited he hadn’t bothered to fully examine Chad’s body. “He beat you?” Ricky asked. He reached out and brushed his fingers across the bruise with gentle strokes. He made a fist with the other hand. The thought of anyone hurting Chad made him want to kick walls. Chad shrugged. “It’s a long story. But when you work for a sleazy guy like Carson and you don’t do whatever he wants, he sends over his guys to set you straight, so to speak. And I decided I wasn’t going to take anymore of his bullshit, Ricky. So I quit, he got pissed off, and he sent these guys over to teach me a lesson. Carson was already pissed at me in the first place, so my quitting only made it worse. I’m sure by now he’s taken my clothes, everything I own, and he’s locked me out of my apartment. Carson likes to control everything, at all times.”

“What did you do to piss him off so much?” This entire way of life was all new to Ricky. He wasn’t sure how to react or when to respond. “Was it just because you wanted to quit?” “I owe him money for hospital bills,” Chad said. “And I haven’t paid him on time.” He stared down at his lap and bit the right side of his face. “You were sick?” Chad shrugged again and placed his palm over his chest. “About six months ago, I thought I was having a heart attack. I’d just left one of my tricks and I was getting into a cab, when all of a sudden I felt lightheaded and my heart started to pound so hard I almost passed out. I felt like running, but couldn’t move my legs.” He took another sip of coffee and smiled. “The doctors said it was an anxiety attack, just nerves. Carson paid the bill when he came to pick me up, and he told me I’d owe him the money. He had me to working for nothing until it was paid off. So I started doing some freelance work on my own to get cash, Carson found out about it, and he really got mad.” As Ricky was about to speak, a horn honked outside the house. He stood up and smiled. “Thanks for cooking breakfast. It was really good.” He could still taste the salty eggs. “I love to cook,” Chad said. “I feel so calm and relaxed when I’m standing at the stove. Cooking is so precise and organized—you know what you’re getting all the time. Besides, I wanted to do something nice for you for being so nice to me last night in bed.” He picked up a piece of silverware and examined it from top to bottom. Ricky’s stomach pulled when he saw the way Chad was checking out his mother’s silverware, so he smiled again and said, “I have to go to school now.” He wiped his chin and squared his shoulders. “I have to ask you to leave.”

Chad sat back and pouted. When his head went down, Ricky noticed an adorable little cleft in the center of his chin. “I’m sorry, buddy,” Ricky said in a soft, sincere voice. This was killing him. “I thought you’d let me stay for a while.” He was still pouting, but now he was looking up at Ricky with those dark, easy eyes. Ricky’s face felt hot and he found it hard to speak. “I’m really, really sorry. I have to go to school now.” Chad finished his coffee and rubbed his thighs. His legs were spread apart but his crotch was still covered with the tail of the long plaid shirt. “I’m sorry, too, Ricky. I thought you were different. I thought just once I could depend on someone.” The horn went off again, three times. Only louder, with a sense of urgency. Ricky raised his right hand and said, “I’ll be right back,” as he turned and jogged to the front door. When he stepped outside, Leyland was waiting for him in the driveway. He was driving his mother’s brown minivan and there was loud, obnoxious music blaring from the radio. All of a sudden, Leyland seemed so much younger and inexperienced. Ricky waved and said, “You go ahead without me.” Leyland lifted his hands from the steering wheel and asked, “He didn’t leave?” Ricky knew he was talking about Chad. “He can’t leave.” He didn’t want to go into details with Leyland. He wouldn’t have understood what Ricky was feeling and experiencing. To Leyland, Chad was nothing more than a common prostitute and Ricky didn’t feel like standing there and defending him in the middle of the driveway. “He can’t leave?”

“Just go without me,” Ricky said. “I’ll see you later today.” Then he ran back inside the house, hoping he’d figure out what to do with Chad so he could go to school and get into a good college. If this had been anyone else, like Dawn the she-male or another prostitute, Ricky would have been firmer. He would have lowered his voice, pointed to the front door, and demanded he leave. But he couldn’t seem to do this with Chad. When he looked into Chad’s deep brown eyes, the only thing he wanted to do was put his arms around him and protect him. This protective instinct trumped sex and all the passion still surging through his body. And when Ricky thought about Chad being beaten, he imagined his fist going down Carson’s throat. But he had to do something about Chad, so he crossed into the kitchen, where he found Chad washing the breakfast dishes, and he said, “I just want to go back to normal. I want my life back and I want my angel back. Is that too much to ask?” Chad turned and leaned against the sink. He smiled and asked, “Did you enjoy last night, and the night before that?” Ricky stared down at his shoes. “Are you talking about, you know, what we did in bed?” His voice was so soft it was almost a whisper. He felt a rush of embarrassment and he wasn’t sure where to look. “Yes. Did you enjoy it?” Before Ricky could think about controlling his lips, a gentle, easy feeling filled his body and he smiled so wide his dimples turned into lines. His voice went up and his face felt hot again. “I had the best time I’ve ever had, seriously. I’ve never met anyone like you.” Then Ricky remembered Chad had sex with guys for money and he frowned. He felt a pull in his stomach. How could he be so dumb? “Don’t tell me I now owe you even more money for last night.”

Chad sent him a seething glare. He arched one of his dark black eyebrows. “Did I say you owe me any money for last night? I don’t remember asking you for money.” He didn’t speak with an angry tone, but there was a strong hint of disappointment, as if Ricky had let him down. He turned his back on Ricky and went into the dining room to clear the rest of the breakfast dishes from the table. Ricky followed him. “What about my mother’s putto?” “Could we please call it an angel, Ricky?” Chad said, carrying a stack of dishes to the sink. “It sounds like you’re talking about your mother’s pussy.” “That’s disgusting,” Ricky said. “And what about it? How do I get it back?” “You’re the genius. You should be able to figure it out better than I can.” While Chad rinsed the dishes, Ricky paced the kitchen floor. “What do you want from me? And how can I get my mother’s angel back?” But he knew, deep down, this affair with Chad wasn’t just about his mother’s putto. There was a connection between them Ricky couldn’t ignore. And even though he was not about to be taken advantage of again, and Chad still had a long way to go to prove he could be trusted, Ricky couldn’t throw him out on the street under these conditions. Chad smiled and bent over to adjust a dish at the back end of the dishwasher. When he did, the shirt rose up and exposed his entire ass. This time Ricky knew it wasn’t an accident. Chad spread his legs too wide and lingered there too long. As he was bending over, he turned back and looked into Ricky’s eyes. He grabbed his balls and said, “I just need some time to figure out what I’m going to do. I can’t get into my apartment and I can’t get the angel until I can get into it. I just need time, is all.” Ricky looked at the Castilian clock above his mother’s little blackboard where she wrote notes to herself all the time. It was getting late. If he didn’t leave soon, he’d miss an important

exam he was taking this morning. So he lifted his arm and pointed to Chad. He raised his voice and said, “Okay, I’m going to school. I’m going to trust you. Don’t steal anything else.” He walked backwards and shook his finger. “I’m not joking. Don’t steal anything, because if you do, I’m calling the police.” His voice went higher, giving away his innocence and his feelings for Chad at the same time. “I’m not joking, Chad. Don’t steal anything. I like you a lot, but I’ll call the cops. I swear I will.” Chad stood up and unbuttoned the plaid shirt. He let it drop form his shoulders and hit the floor. Then he crossed to where Ricky was standing, stark naked, and reached for Ricky’s face with both hands. He cupped Ricky’s jaw and kissed him on the lips. Then he stepped back and said, “Be a good boy and go to school now.” But Ricky wanted to enforce his stand. He pointed again and said, “Don’t steal anything while I’m gone. Just because you’re good looking, and you think you can get away with anything just by looking at me with those eyes, doesn’t mean I’m just some dumb kid you can take advantage of and have your way with whenever you want. I’m serious, Chad. I mean it.” Chad put down the dish rag and exhaled. “Ricky, just go to school and stop worrying so much.”

Chapter Ten

Ricky ran all the way to school, up the front steps, and down the hall to his classroom. A second before he sat down, the teacher dropped an exam on his desk without even noticing he was late. After the test, he went to his next class and sat at his desk wondering what Chad was doing at the house alone, as his teacher explained why William Shakespeare was considered a highly commercial author during his time. The rest of the day seemed to linger in a slow daze. The only fun he had was during gym class when he had to wrestle with Leyland. He knew how to press Leyland’s buttons and tease him. Without anyone else knowing what he was doing, Ricky reached between Leyland’s legs, grabbed his balls, and started squeezing them. It made Ricky smile when he climbed on top of Leyland and pinned him to the mat. And it made him laugh and double over when Leyland couldn’t get up from the mat because Ricky had given him an erection. To make the day seem even longer, Ricky had to remain after school an extra half hour to speak with his guidance counselor. He never thought he’d get home. As he sat and listened to his counselor ramble on about different college choices, SAT scores, and how important extracurricular activities were, he nodded and smiled. He sat on the edge of the seat, with his back straight and his eyes wide, thinking about Chad the entire time. When it was finally time to leave, he bolted out of school and ran home just as fast as he’d run to school earlier that morning. He passed the hot blond UPS guy on his way and waved. The UPS guy was standing in the back of his brown truck, smiling. He watched Ricky’s legs

move, licking his bottom lip at the same time. He even stepped forward and asked, “Where’s the rush?” But Ricky just smiled and kept running, and didn’t stop until he reached his driveway and saw Leyland’s mother’s minivan parked there. He knew Leyland had left school earlier. He’d told Ricky he couldn’t wait around to give him a ride because he had something important to do. Ricky rubbed his jaw and frowned. When he considered the fact that Leyland might be inside paying Chad for sex he clenched his fists and marched toward the front door. As he approached, Leyland came ambling down the front walk. His head was tilted back and he had a sly grin. Ricky stopped and shoved his hands into his pockets. “What are you doing here?” Leyland shrugged. “I wanted to see Chad again. I just stopped by to say hello.” Then he smiled and looked down at his shoes. Ricky’s face grew hot; his temples began to pound. “Did you do anything with him? Please tell me you didn’t.” The thought of Leyland doing anything with Chad made his stomach turn. He had to concentrate hard on keeping his cool. He was caught between two undesirablel reactions: punching Leyland in the jaw and throwing his arms in the air and giving up on Chad. “I didn’t do anything with him,” Leyland said. A lighter sensation passed through Ricky’s body. “You sure?” He couldn’t tell if he was lying. “I’m sure.” But as he turned and walked toward the minivan, he started laughing. “I didn’t do anything with Chad, but I just sucked Rocco off in the powder room.” Ricky blinked.

Leyland laughed all the way to the minivan, and he continued laughing as he backed out of the driveway and sped away. By the time Ricky turned around and started walking to the front door, a tall dark guy with a crooked Roman nose met him on the front porch. He reminded Ricky of the guys he saw either working in pizza shops all over northern New Jersey or the guys in magazine ads who stripped in gay nightclubs in New York. His dark hair was cut short and styled with gobs of product, he had those bulging muscles that can only be achieved by taking endless cycles of steroids, and he wore a tight black T-shirt and faded jeans. There was a tattoo of a snake on his massive right bicep and a large diamond in his right ear lobe. “Yo, you got a nice place here, Ricky,” he said. “I’m Rocco.” He spoke with a heavy New York accent, probably Brooklyn. But Ricky wasn’t an expert and it could have been any one of the outer boroughs. Ricky rolled his eyes and walked past him. “Where’s Chad?” “In the kitchen,” he said. When he said the it came out as da. When Ricky stormed into the house, his heart was pounding. He met Chad in the hall and said, “You have to leave. I’m not joking anymore.” Chad frowned and walked into the dining room. “What’s wrong with you? Don’t I even get a kiss hello or ‘how was your day, sweetie-pie’?” “I’m not kidding,” Ricky said, following him. “You have to leave.” He’d had enough of all this drama and confusion. He’d had enough frustration and anxiety. He was helping Chad through this ordeal with Carson the pimp, and now he had to deal with Rocco as well. Chad had crossed the line and Ricky had to be tough. “This isn’t going to work.”

Chad sighed. “I don’t get the problem. No one’s ripping you off, Ricky.” He didn’t sound angry or insulted, just exasperated. Then Rocco came stomping into the room, waving a fan of cash in the air. He handed Ricky the money and said, “Here you go, buddy.” When he said buddy with his thick accent it sounded like body. “What’s that for?” Ricky asked, staring down at the cash with furrowed eyebrows. “It’s for the fucking house,” Rocco said, speaking with his hands. When he said fucking, he dropped the g at the end. “It’s your fucking cut for the fuzzy-looking kid who just fucking sucked me off in the bathroom.” He waved the money again. “But I should have fucking charged him extra. His fucking teeth were sharp as fucking nails.” He grabbed his crotch with the other hand. “I thought he was going to fucking chew my fucking balls off.” Ah, well. Ricky rolled his eyes at the ceiling. He ran his palm through his hair and said, “Ah well, isn’t that nice of you? He couldn’t believe there was a guy standing in his house, using the word fucking two and three times in every sentence, waving a wad of cash he’d just received thanks to a bad blow job by Leyland. Was this a dream? If Ricky pinched himself would he wake up and be normal again? Chad breezed by on his way to the kitchen. “Take the money, Ricky. It’s your house.” Ricky lifted his arms and stepped back. “I don’t want the money. I just want you to leave.” Then he walked around Rocco and went into the living room alone. Ricky heard Chad step into the hall. When Rocco saw Chad, he said, “We gotta leave now? I just fucking got here.”

“If that’s what Ricky wants, then we have to leave,” Chad said. Then his voice rose. “Is that what you want, Ricky, for me to leave? Are you telling me you never want to see me again?” Ricky turned and walked into the hall. His hands were in his pockets and he was staring at the Persian rug on the floor. “I would appreciate it very much. Thank you.” He couldn’t look into Chad’s eyes. He was afraid if he did he’d change his mind and let them stay. After that, Rocco and Chad went upstairs to gather their belongings. It didn’t take long. Ricky assumed Rocco must have brought his clothes from the city, because when they came strutting down the steps they were both gripping suitcases and carrying suit jackets over their shoulders. As both men walked down the driveway, Ricky stood in front of the garage door with his arms folded across his chest and his legs spread apart. He wanted to make sure they were gone before he went back into the house. He didn’t smile or nod once. He remained expressionless and firm. But when Chad reached the end of the driveway and turned back to look at him, Ricky felt a thickness in his throat that made him swallow hard. He almost took a step forward. He almost reached out with both arms to call him back. But he remained fixed in one position until they turned right and started walking down the street. When they were out of sight, Ricky went into the house and up to his room. He changed into white cotton boxer shorts and a T-shirt so he could go down to the basement and work out with weights. But while he was jogging down the steps in his bare feet, he heard screeching tires in the driveway. He heard a car door slam shut, then voices coming from the front lawn. Someone shouted a name he couldn’t make out, then someone else shouted the word fucking without using the g.

So he crossed to the narrow window beside the front door and pulled the sheer curtains aside. When he looked out to the right, he saw Carson the pimp’s big black SUV in the driveway. To the left, he saw Carson standing in the middle of his front yard while two other men he’d never seen before held Rocco and Chad by their collars. Chad and Rocco were struggling to break free.Their suitcases and their clothes were on the grass and they were shouting at Carson. By the time Ricky opened the door and went out to see what was going on, Chad and Rocco had broken free and were jogging toward the house. Ricky stopped at the top of the driveway. Chad and Rocco rushed around him and went into the house. Ricky stood there in his white boxers and T-shirt, gawking. He watched Carson and his two men pick up Chad and Rocco’s bags and clothes. They gathered them up in heaps and piles and tossed them into the SUV. Then the two guys stood beside the SUV and Carson walked up to where Ricky was standing. His hands were in his pockets and he had a mean, crushed expression. For a pimp, he looked so slight and skinny, as if a good wind could blow him over. His hands and feet were unusually small. Carson didn’t even acknowledge Ricky. He walked past him and turned toward the front door with his arms swinging and his heels clicking. “Can I help you?” Ricky asked. His voice remained low and cautious. He wasn’t sure what to say or how to react. But he wasn’t letting Carson the pimp inside his house. He was already in enough trouble. He didn’t need this. Carson stopped walking and faced him. “Who the fuck are you?” His voice wasn’t soft or cautious. “Ricky.” He spoke so quietly he almost didn’t make a sound.

Carson walked up and circled behind him. “You the one who was fucking around last night in the city?” Ricky knew he was talking about the car chase through Manhattan. But he shrugged and said, “I might be.” Though his knees were about to knock and his voice was ready to tremble, Ricky couldn’t help wondering where this guy got his nerve. He wasn’t in New York anymore and he wasn’t near his own territory. This was private property and Ricky had every right to ask him to leave. When Carson turned his back on Ricky and started for the front door, Ricky walked up behind him, cleared his throat, and said, “I’m sorry if this sounds rude. But I’m going to have to ask you to remove yourself from my property.” He wanted to kick himself after he said it. He knew it sounded too formal and out of place. But he wasn’t used to dealing with crooks and thugs and pimps. If there was a protocol, he hadn’t learned it in school. Carson turned and faced him again. “Ricky, you look like a smart guy. The door is locked. Why don’t you open it up and let me take care of my own business? You’re giving me a mean headache.” He nodded at the SUV and the two guys stepped forward. One was heavy-set with a bald head and the other had a ruddy complexion and a ponytail. They walked up the lawn and stood behind Ricky. They didn’t speak or move. They just stood there waiting for Carson to speak, with their shoulders squared and their hands in their pockets. Then Chad and Rocco opened a window above the front door and Chad said, “I hope your headache is so bad your head falls off, Carson. You’re an asshole.” They must have been up there listening to everything. Carson walked down to where Ricky was standing and pointed to Chad in the secondstory window. They both started arguing back and forth, shouting profanities and slinging insults.

Ricky just stared in amazement. He even forgot about being on the front lawn in bare feet and boxer shorts. He couldn’t believe this was happening and he hoped no one in the neighborhood was watching. But when he turned quickly to look at the street, there was a group of small children standing at the curb. Their bikes were parked and they were gaping up at the house. One little blond girl had her palm over her mouth. And a little boy was leaning forward on his handlebars with his mouth wide open. “We don’t work for you anymore,” Chad said. “You don’t own us.” “That’s right,” Rocco said. “We don’t fucking work for you no more.” Ricky cringed. Now Rocco was shouting profanities with dropped g’s and double negatives out the window for the whole neighborhood to hear. This was getting out of hand; Ricky had to do something. Carson said, “If you don’t work for me, then who do you work for?” He laughed and shook his head, as if he knew how to control his subjects better than anyone else. “We work for Ricky,” Rocco said, pointing to Ricky. “Ah well,” Ricky said. “They don’t work for me.” “Yes, we do,” Chad said. Carson’s head went up and his shoulders went back. “Oh, so you work for Ricky now.” He turned and approached Ricky. He lowered his voice and said, “You’re a smart kid, Ricky. I can see that. I like you, Ricky.” Ricky’s head went back. Carson’s teeth were yellow; his breath smelled like ass. “You’re enjoying all this,” Carson said, “and you’re having fun right now, kid.” He put his arm around Ricky’s shoulders and guided Ricky toward the SUV. While he spoke the other two guys got back into the car. “But you’re fucking with my livelihood now, Ricky, and that’s

not good. You don’t fuck around with a man’s income. Those two fuck machines up there are my bread and butter, especially Chad. That’s right, it’s all about dick. And those two big-dicked, brainless, donkey faggots keep me very comfortable. I’m not going to let anyone steal them away from me.” From the way Carson spoke, Chad and Rocco didn’t just work for him, they were his personal possessions. Ricky lifted his eyebrows and his back arched. Though he felt his heart in his throat by then, he figured he’d better keep his mouth shut and continue playing innocent. This Carson guy wasn’t joking around and there was no telling what someone this unstable was capable of doing. Ricky could see the headlines in the local papers. High School Boy Found Dead in Underwear: Killed by N.Y. Pimp. Before Carson removed his arm from Ricky’s shoulders, he smiled and said, “Now this is how it’s going to work, Ricky. I’m going to give you a break right now because I like you and I think you’re a smart guy.” He looked Ricky up and down and grabbed Ricky’s ass with his other hand. He squeezed it hard and said, “I like you so much I’d even think about hiring you to work for me if you’re interested. With this hot ass, you’d make a fortune. The older guys would love you. You’d be turning one trick after another.” He leaned forward and whispered. “That’s the secret, Ricky. If you can knock them off like flies and keep the pace moving fast, you can make a fortune in this business. Do you get me, Ricky Dickey?” The kids down by the curb were gasping now. “I get you,” Ricky said. He had him pegged well: a sociopath with no regard for humanity whatsoever. “Knock them off like flies.” In a move that made Ricky’s jaw drop, Carson put his hand down the back of Ricky’s boxer shorts and grabbed his bare ass. He rubbed hard and patted three times. Carson smiled and said, “You take care of this situation, Ricky. I don’t want to have to come back and take care of

it myself. If I do, you won’t like it. Do you understand me, Ricky? You have a sweet ass, Ricky. Feels like a soft, smooth velvet pillow. I can’t keep my hands off it. I’m what you might call an ass man. And I know you like the way this feels, don’t you, Ricky? It’s even smoother then my girlfriend’s ass and she’s fucking smooth. I’d hate to have to damage a pretty little thing like you, Ricky, especially this sweet little ass.” Before Ricky had a chance to object, Carson kissed him on the cheek and slapped his ass harder. A minute later, Carson was backing the SUV out of the driveway and waving goodbye. As Carson and his men disappeared down the street, Ricky adjusted his boxer shorts and bit his bottom lip. His ass rounds were still stinging from the slap and he could still smell Carson’s putrid ass-breath. He turned and looked up at the window where Chad was watching him. Chad smiled and nodded. Ricky smiled back and started walking to the house. Ricky wasn’t sure what he was going to do now, but he knew one thing for sure: Chad was not going back to work for Carson in this lifetime.

Chapter Eleven

Although Ricky didn’t have much of an appetite, he offered to defrost a few prepared organic meals his mother had left in the freezer. She’d marked them all with dates, nutritional information, and microwave instructions in recycled containers. His mother believed in wellbalanced, organic meals, not fast food. But when Ricky opened the freezer and pulled out a frozen container filled with brown rice, organically grown lima beans, and free-range chicken in gluten-free, nut-free, organic mushroom sauce (none of them had nut allergies; she just wanted to play it safe), Chad smiled, thanked him for the offer, and said he’d cook dinner. He said he’d stopped at the grocery store when he’d gone to the train station to pick up Rocco and he had all the ingredients he needed to make veal Marsala. “Veal?” Ricky said. This was an odd turn of events in Ricky’s house. He’d heard of veal, but he’d never actually had it. His mother wouldn’t allow veal in the house. It offended her in the same way inorganic food, canned peas and carrots, and old-fashioned tap water offended her. “Yeah, it’s my specialty,” Chad said. He smiled and rubbed his palms together, then went into the kitchen and started pulling pots and pans out of the cabinets. Ricky remembered the breakfast Chad had cooked for him that morning. He could still taste the burnt toast and salty, soupy eggs. When Chad started to whistle a tuneless song, Ricky sent Rocco a glance to see how he felt about Chad’s cooking. But Rocco only shrugged and said, “We fucking have to eat something. I’d rather take my fucking chances with his cooking than with fucking organic, nut-free shit.”

Two hours later, they all sat down at the dining room table together. Chad had rummaged through Ricky’s mother’s drawers and he’d set the table with her best damask placemats, her Noritake china, and her grandmother’s antique silverware. Ricky gulped. His mother only used these things for special events, and there hadn’t been an event special enough since Ricky had been six years old and his father had been promoted. When Chad lit the white candles in the antique silver holders, Ricky looked up at the ceiling and rolled his eyes. They were special candles from New England, made from organic beeswax, and Ricky’s mother never lit them. It took six months before she’d removed the plastic in which they’d been wrapped. But Chad smiled so widely and moved about with such elation Ricky didn’t have the heart to stop him. Ricky could replace the candles with fakes and his mother would never know it. Unless you knew exactly where they came from they looked like ordinary white wax candles from the dollar store. Besides, in a way they already had been used. Ricky had found those candles to be perfect substitutes for dildos on long lonely nights when his parents went out to the movies. Ricky and Rocco placed their napkins on their laps and waited for Chad to sit down first. They kept exchanging glances, each one waiting for the other to start eating first. There were thick slices of veal on their plates, covered with a grayish green sauce that reminded Ricky of the Hudson River. Next to the veal, Chad had placed thin spears of asparagus in neat little groups that resembled wood piles. It didn’t even smell right. There was something sour about Chad’s cooking. Oh, there was nothing sadder than watching someone who thinks he can dance. “Dig in, guys,” Chad said, tearing a small dinner roll in half. “There’s plenty more in the kitchen.”

Ricky shrugged and reached for his knife and fork. He hadn’t eaten all day and was hungrier now than he’d been earlier. He smiled at Chad and tried to cut into the veal. But the knife wasn’t sharp enough and he had to press down harder to make a dent. It took several tries for Ricky to figure out how much pressure to use without looking obvious—or knocking the veal off the plate. When he finally cut a piece free and put it into his mouth and started chewing, his eyes widened and his head jerked back. Chad leaned forward and asked, “How is it? Is there enough salt?” He was cutting and eating without a problem. Ricky smiled. He was chewing so hard he couldn’t speak. His head went up and down with an exaggerated nod and he swallowed. Then he lifted his hands and said, “It’s perfect. No more salt.” It not only felt like shoe leather in his mouth, it tasted as though Chad had dumped the entire box of salt into the gray-green sauce. Rocco just sat there, cutting and chewing with a lugubrious expression. When Ricky noticed Rocco was eating each bite of veal with a big piece of roll, Ricky did the same thing. Yes, that was much better. The roll cut the salt and helped the tough veal go down easier. At least the asparagus wasn’t that bad—they’d been boiled to mush and no seasoning at all—and there was plenty of water to help wash it all down. By the time they were finished, Ricky smiled at Chad. “Thanks for cooking dinner. It was very good.” Though it hadn’t been easy, Ricky had cleaned his entire plate. He didn’t want to insult him. Rocco wiped his lips with the napkin and said, “Yeah, man. Fucking great veal. I just wish I was hungrier. I had a fucking meatball sandwich for lunch and it was fucking huge, man.” Then he kicked Ricky under the table and said, “Best veal I ever had.”

Ricky frowned at Rocco. Half of the veal Chad had served him was still on his plate. It was obvious that he’d cut and shoved things, spreading them apart to make it look as if he’d eaten more than he had. Chad just smiled and stood up to clear the table. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll wrap the leftovers up and you can have some later tonight if you get hungry.” Rocco kicked Ricky again and said, “I’d like that,” with an animated voice and a strange grin. When Chad was in the kitchen, Ricky kicked Rocco back and said, “That was just wrong. He worked hard, seriously.” Rocco folded his arms across his chest and said, “I never tasted anything so fucking bad in my life. I’d rather eat fucking dog food. I should have chosen the gluten-free organic shit your mother froze.” “It wasn’t that bad.” “Dog food.” “He tried,” Ricky said. “Give him credit.” “Give who credit?” Chad asked. He’d just returned to clear the rest of the table. Rocco looked up at the ceiling and trilled his fingers on the table. Ricky said, “Leyland. We were talking about the bad blow job he gave Rocco today, and I said it was probably the first blow job he’d ever given anyone: give him credit.” He didn’t want Chad to know they were talking about his cooking. People who liked to cook didn’t take it well when someone offered even the slightest constructive criticism. Chad laughed and gathered up spoons and forks. “Poor guy,” he said.

“What about poor me?” Rocco said. “He fucking chewed my dick.” He reached between his legs and rubbed his groin. Ricky looked down. There was a nice big bulge between Rocco’s legs that made him smile. “Next time you can offer him a few tips,” Chad said. He looked at Ricky and smiled. “I guess I got lucky for the first time in my life. I didn’t have to give Ricky and tips at all. He’s a natural.” Rocco grabbed his crotch and said, “I’ll bet.” But Chad sent him a scathing look and said, “Hands off, Rocco. He’s all mine.” Then he smiled at Ricky and kissed him on the cheek. When Chad looked at him that way, with his head tilted and his dark eyes gazing down, Ricky had trouble speaking a full sentence. So he shrugged and said, “Thanks.” By that time Rocco wasn’t even paying attention to them. He was examining a hangnail on his thumb, trying to pull it off without breaking the skin. After dinner, Ricky went up to his room to do his homework and Chad and Rocco went outside for a swim. It was even warmer that night than it had been the night Ricky had put on a jack-off show for his next-door neighbor. He knew Chad and Rocco were swimming in their underwear and he wondered if his neighbor was watching the through the parted curtain of his second-floor window. An hour later, Chad knocked on Ricky’s door and pushed it open. He walked in, sat down on the bed, and said, “You’ve got a pervert next door.”

Ricky closed a textbook and smiled. “He’s okay. He just got divorced and he’s moving out later this month. He doesn’t mean any harm. As long as he thinks no one is watching him, he just stands there and whacks off in the window.” “It’s creepy,” Chad said. He was only wearing a bath towel loosely fastened around his waist. “He likes to watch me sometimes,” Ricky said. “No big deal.” “Oh, he does?” Chad said. “Well, if I catch him watching you when I’m around I’m going to kick his pervert ass.” Ricky sat back and smiled. He looked into Chad’s eyes. “Really?” He knew this sounded coy and mushy. He never spoke this way. But he couldn’t help himself. “Yeah,” he said. “I don’t want anyone thinking dirty things about you while I’m around—unless I give them permission. I can understand why this guy next door wants to watch you. It’s only natural. You’re hot. But it’s not right if he doesn’t have permission.” “But you think dirty things about me.” At least Ricky was hoping he did. “That’s different.” “No one gave you permission. How is that different?” Ricky knew what he meant, but he wanted to hear Chad say it aloud. Chad spread his legs and the towel opened wide enough so Ricky could see his entire right leg. He avoided answering Ricky’s question and changed the subject. “Your buddy Leyland is downstairs with Rocco. They want to get high and go for ice cream. I just fed Sparky and covered his aquarium for the night.” “I’d like some ice cream.” Ricky wasn’t sure about getting high, but ice cream sounded like a good idea. He could still taste the salty gray-green sauce and mushy asparagus from dinner.

****

There was a small resort town twenty minutes west of where Ricky lived, in the mountains of northwest New Jersey. It was one of those local resorts built around a large lake with many hidden coves, where people from New York and northern New Jersey took day trips and docked their boats. Ricky’s father had a boat docked at an expensive private yacht club. Though it was early in the season, Ricky’s father always launched the boat at the yacht club in the spring because he liked knowing it would be ready in time for warmer weather. They stopped for soft custard at a stand not far from the yacht club. It was a warm, dark, moonless night. After they got the ice cream, Ricky drove his father’s Porsche up a long, winding road that led to the club’s parking lot. But there was no one around that time of year, so Ricky took it upon himself to drive down an expansive stretch of lawn that led to the docks. He parked in front of the rickety pier at the edge of the lake where his father’s boat was docked, and they all piled out of the car. Chad got out and walked to the edge of the water. He lifted his head and took a deep breath. “This is beautiful,” he said. “I can’t believe we’re still so close to New York.” Ricky smiled. “It’s the New Jersey most people don’t know about, without factories, traffic jams, and congestion. And it’s a different world from the Jersey Shore.” Leyland walked over to them and handed Ricky a joint. “I only brought two,” he said. “You two have to share, and I’ll share with Rocco.” Rocco stared down at the joint and grinned.

Ricky took the crooked little cigarette and examined it for a second. He knew Leyland always had pot around, but he’d never actually smoked pot himself. Though Leyland had tried to get him high many times, Ricky had always refused, partly because he was terrified of getting caught and arrested, and partly because he hated not being in control at all times. But that night, with Chad standing there at his side, he put the tip of the joint between his lips and leaned forward so Leyland could light it for him. He didn’t even give it a second thought. Before he inhaled, he felt a rush pass through his body. He choked the first few times he inhaled. It had a bitter taste and a peculiar, sweet aroma. When he passed it to Chad, he wondered why everyone he knew was so excited about smoking pot. He felt nothing, not even a slight buzz. Chad took a long drag, held his breath for a minute or two, and exhaled slowly in Ricky’s face. Chad smiled at Leyland and Rocco and said, “Why don’t you guys go for a walk over there so we can have a few minutes alone?” He pointed to the other end of the yacht club, a dark area surrounded by tall shrubs. “C’mon,” Rocco said to Leyland. “If you’re a good boy, I’ll let you suck my dick again free of charge. But this time I’ll show you how to suck dick the right way.” Leyland’s head went up and he took a quick hit from the joint he was sharing with Rocco. “I’ll race you, man.” When they were gone, Ricky started to giggle. All at once, the thought of fuzzy-headed Leyland blowing big macho muscle-boy Rocco seemed comical. A smooth, subtle sensation of well being passed through his body. His legs and feet started to tingle and his arms felt lighter and partially disconnected from the rest of his body. “You don’t get high much, do you?” Chad asked. He was standing in front of him. He’d just taken another hit and was passing the point to him.

Ricky inhaled and held his breath the same way Chad had done it. Then he exhaled, coughed a few times, and started to giggle again. “No,” he said. “I don’t get high often. Actually, this is the first time I’ve ever gotten high.” He stepped forward and put his arms around Chad’s shoulders. He rubbed his cheek on Chad’s chest. “It’s nice to see you smile,” Chad said. “You’re always so uptight.” Ricky’s licked Chad’s neck and said, “You taste good. Let’s go down to the boat. I’ll take off all my clothes and then I’ll sit on your lap.” He pressed his cheek against Chad’s shoulder and made a humming sound that could have been mistaken for a purr. Chad reached down and grabbed his ass. “Is it safe? I’m not sure.” Ricky waved his arm. All he wanted to do was have some fun. Chad was starting to sound like his father now. “No one is here this time of year. Besides, I have passes in my wallet. I’ll just tell them I came to check on the boat for my father.” Then he kicked off his shoes and pulled off his socks and left them on the grass in front of the car. By the time they reached the dock, Ricky wasn’t wearing anything. He’d left a short trail of clothing that led all the way down to dock. Each time he’d removed an article of clothing, he’d giggled. When he reached the dock, he walked to the end, lifted his arms in the air, and stretched as high as he could. His entire body tingled. He didn’t have anything to worry about. His SAT scores and getting into college didn’t even seem real anymore. Chad walked up behind him. He was fully clothed, alert, and cautious, watching every move Ricky made. He grabbed Ricky by the waist so he wouldn’t accidentally fall into the water. “I’m curious about something,” he said. “This afternoon Leyland paid Rocco two hundred bucks to suck his dick just like that, without flinching.”

Ricky giggled. He imagined Leyland’s fuzzy head bobbing up and down. “Yeah, two hundred bucks just to suck one big, thick dick.” “Where did he get the money?” Chad asked. He put his arms around Ricky’s body and kissed his neck. Ricky giggled and shrugged his shoulders. He backed into Chad’s body and made a few grinding moves with his hips. “He gets an allowance. He has money from birthdays and Christmas. All my friends have money.” If his mother saw him now, she’d fall over dead. First the veal, and now this. Chad lowered his right hand and placed it on Ricky’s waist. “Be interesting if you and I started a business venture, Ricky. We could bring our friends together and make a nice little fortune together.” Ricky kicked the side of the boat and laughed. “But most of my friends aren’t gay like me,” he said. “All the guys I know like pussy, not dick.” The ripples in the water made him feel disconnected. He couldn’t stop watching the way they fluttered toward the shore. “I have plenty of female associates who do what I do for a living,” Chad said. “Your straight friends would love them. Why don’t we bring both our worlds together, Ricky, and see what happens?” “I don’t think so,” Ricky said. Though he was stoned, he was aware enough to know he didn’t want to be a pimp. The only thing he wanted to do at that moment was suck Chad off. So he turned all the way around and reached between Chad’s legs. He grabbed a handful of Chad’s jeans and licked his lips. “Can I do something I’ve been dying to do to you since we met?” He squeezed harder. “You don’t even have to take off your clothes.” He didn’t want to be rude, but he figured he needed permission.

“You look beautiful this way,” Chad said. “You can do anything you want to me.” Ricky giggled. “Are you going to charge me?” For some reason, he thought this was funny. “I’ll never charge you again for anything.” After a long moment of silence, Ricky went down on his knees and unfastened Chad’s jeans. Chad spread his legs apart and lifted his arms. When Chad laced his fingers at the back of his head, Ricky pulled Chad’s dick out of his jeans and opened his mouth as wide as it would go. This time he wasn’t gentle and he didn’t take his time sucking the head. He inserted Chad’s entire shaft into his mouth and started sucking hard. His head went back and forth, and he pressed his tongue to the bottom of the shaft to create more suction. The harder he sucked, the more Chad bucked his hips. Chad’s jeans slid down his legs and rested below his knees. His balls slapped against Ricky’s chin with quiet thuds. But the sounds of wet slurps and hard suction could be heard across the lake. When Ricky began to taste him, he held Chad’s hairy thighs for support. He wouldn’t break the rhythm. He wanted to bring Chad to the peak with his mouth, not with his hand. It didn’t take long for Chad to buck faster, pushing his groin into Ricky’s nose each time he went deep. Then, while Ricky continued to nod and suck, Chad’s body froze and he stood completely still. He reached for the sides of Ricky’s face with both hands, squeezed them hard, and grunted four or five times. A second after the final grunt, he exploded inside Ricky’s mouth with such force Ricky almost gagged. But he didn’t gag, cough, or show any signs of distress. He concentrated and regained his composure so he could take every last drop. After Chad came, Ricky jacked off on the dock with

Chad’s dick buried in his mouth. Ricky kept sucking, only slower now, making sure he’d taken everything from Chad he could get. When Chad was soft again, he had to hold Ricky’s face in his palms and say, “You should get dressed now. Leyland and Rocco will be back soon.” Then he had to pry Ricky’s head away from his body by pulling Ricky’s hair. Ricky stood up and wiped his chin. “Was that okay?” he asked. “I’ve never actually done anything like that out in the open like this before.” He reached down and covered his genitals with his hands. He was suddenly aware of being naked. He looked around to see if they were being watched. Chad pulled him closer and leaned back against a rail that was attached to the dock. He opened his jacket, put his arms around Ricky, and covered the top half of Ricky’s naked body. “It was wonderful,” Chad said. “I like knowing you’ve never done that with anyone but me.” His two hands went down and he kneaded Ricky’s ass as if he were molding bread dough. Ricky couldn’t say the same thing about Chad. But for some reason he couldn’t explain, it didn’t matter to him. The fact that Chad was older and more experienced made him feel safer and warmer than he would have felt with someone more like himself. “Do you have any family?” Ricky asked. He snuggled closer and rested his cheek on Chad’s chest. The pot had begun to wear off as quickly as it had taken hold of him. “My parents live in Staten Island,” Chad said. He spoke with an abrupt tone. “Brothers and sisters?” “One sister.” “What does she do?” “She’s younger, still in school.”

Ricky sighed. “You’re a bright guy. Why aren’t you in school?” He was really asking how Chad could wind up as a prostitute, but he didn’t want to come out and say it. Chad exhaled and released Ricky’s ass. He pushed Ricky forward and took two steps to the right. “Look, Ricky, if you want to be friends, I don’t want you judging me. I did what I had to do after I graduated from high school, and I’ve worked hard to be good at what I do. It wasn’t easy losing the Staten Island accent, but I did that by watching and listening to wealthy male clients.” Ricky looked into his eyes. “I didn’t mean anything. I wasn’t judging.” He was telling the truth. He didn’t understand Chad’s sudden change in tone. “We’re standing next to your father’s expensive boat, at your father’s expensive yacht club, and your father’s expensive foreign car is parked over there. It’s easy for you to judge me. You have it all.” Then he turned his back on Ricky and walked toward the club house. Ricky let out an exasperated sigh. He stood there, naked, with his arms spread wide, and asked, “What did I do?” Chad continued walking and didn’t look back. “C’mon, Chad,” Ricky said. “I didn’t mean anything. Don’t get mad.” When he realized Chad was not going to turn around, he slapped his forehead and stomped on the grass. Then, without thinking, he bent down to get his jeans and his naked ass bumped into the rear fender of the Porsche. He heard crunching twigsand his eyes widened. When he turned and saw that his father’s Porsche was slowly moving forward toward the dock, he dropped his pants and ran to the driver’s side. The door was locked and the keys were still in his pants pocket. So he ran to the back of the car and fumbled with his jeans. The faster his fingers moved, the harder it seemed to grasp

the keys. Did his hands grow or did his pockets shrink? He heard the keys jingling around, but he’d forgotten which pocket he’d put them in and had to check them all. Of course they were in the last pocket he searched, and by that time the car had slowly crept up to the dock and was heading toward the lake. On the way down, he ran so fast he tripped over a rock. The keys went airborne and landed in a row of azalea bushes that had a fresh fertilizer/horse-farm smell, as if they’d been recently mulched. He knew there wasn’t enough time to find them in the dark, so he ran down to the dock in his bare feet, stepped in front of the Porsche stark naked, and tried to stop the car with his hands. The car was in the middle of the dock and it was moving faster. He pressed hard on the hood and started shouting. “No! Someone help! This can’t be happening!” His parents had only gone away on a short trip, and in the time they’d been gone he’d lost his mother’s putto, become tangled with a male prostitute, been threatened by a pimp, gone on a high-speed chase through midtown Manhattan, and now he was about to sink his father’s car in the lake. “Fuck, no.” He pushed the front of the car until his hands ached. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t get a good enough stance. His bare feet kept sliding on the rough dock, and the car continued to inch forward. As it reached the end of the dock, he jumped up on the hood and laid down on his back to avoid being run over. When the car reached the edge, with less than an inch to spare, it stopped moving. Ricky remained sprawled across the hood dead still, on his back, his arms and legs spread wide, exposing his entire body. Everything around him turned silent. His heart pounded in his ears, and his stomach felt as if it was in his throat. He looked up at the sky and exhaled with relief. Then he gazed down at the water with his mouth open wide. There was hope; this wasn’t so bad. All

he had to do was carefully get up and find the keys in the bushes. It was all good and he still had time to save the car from ruin. But as Ricky lifted his shoulders and moved his right leg, he heard a crunch from below the dock. Then he heard two or three splits and one large crack. The end of the dock collapsed, there was a sudden jerk, and Ricky’s legs went up. He screamed for help as loud as he could. But it was too late for anyone to save him. The Porsche rolled forward and slipped into the lake with a quiet splash, almost as if it had crawled into the water in slow motion. As it sank to the bottom of the lake nose first, Ricky slid off the hood, tumbled to his side, and landed face first in the ice cold water.

Chapter Twelve

It was Chad who arrived first. When he saw what happened to the car, then saw Ricky’s naked body splashing around in the water, he kicked off his shoes and socks, pulled off his shirt, and jumped into the lake to save him. Ricky had only fallen in chest deep. He wasn’t going to drown; he was a good swimmer. If anything, the car was in worse shape than Ricky. But when Chad grabbed him and lifted him up by his legs, Ricky put his arms around Chad’s shoulders and held him as tightly as he could. Leyland and Rocco weren’t far behind. Rocco’s zipper was still down and his underwear was showing. Leyland’s lips were red and puffy and he was wiping his chin. “What the fuck happened?” Leyland asked, staring at the rear end of the car sticking out of the water. “What the fuck did you do, man?” “I forgot to put the brake on,” Ricky said, murmuring into Chad’s bare chest. “It started to roll and I couldn’t find the keys.” The water had been so cold his gums hurt. Chad carried Ricky over to a bench and set him down gently. Ricky didn’t even realize he was still naked. He just bent forward, holding his head in his hands, wondering how he’d explain this state of affairs to his parents. He’d never get into a decent school now. His entire life was ruined and he’d never be able to look his father in the eye again. “Get his clothes and stop staring at him that way,” Chad said to Rocco, then sat down beside Ricky. He put his arms around him and held him close so he’d stop shivering. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?” He wiped his forehead and started checking his body for signs of injury.

Ricky didn’t even realize he was shivering. He nodded and said, “I’m fine.” Then he gestured to the car and groaned. Chad pulled him closer and rubbed his naked back. “It’s okay, Ricky. As long as you didn’t get hurt and you’re fine, nothing else matters.” His voice was deep and reassuring. The more he rubbed Ricky’s back, the lower his hand went. Although Ricky was still in shock, it occurred to him he’d never felt this safe and quite this secure in his entire life. He even fooled himself into thinking Chad had just saved his life. So he lifted his legs and inched upward so he could sit on Chad’s wet lap. He put his arms around Chad’s shoulders again and rested his cheek against Chad’s wet chest. While the other two gathered his clothes, he thanked Chad for jumping into the water to save him. He didn’t mention he knew how to swim and that he’d known he wasn’t in any real danger. All he said was, “Thank you for being there and saving me. I don’t know what I would have done without you. I’m sorry you had to get wet. You must be freezing, too.” Chad kissed him on the lips and ran his hand down Ricky’s right side and rested it on the back of his thigh. “Don’t even think about it. I’m fine. All that matters is that you’re okay, baby.” Instinctively, Ricky’s right leg went up higher and he began to caress the back of Chad’s head. He slipped his tongue into Chad’s mouth and started kissing him with more passion. He knew he was in the deepest shit he’d ever known in his life. But instead of feeling guilty about ruining his father’s car, he was more interested lifting his leg higher and feeling Chad’s bicep with his other hand. He knew the other two guys were somewhere close by, but he wasn’t concerned about them watching him. At that moment, he and Chad were the only two people in the world. For one brief instant, he felt absolutely complete in another man’s arms.

Then Leyland tossed Ricky’s clothes onto Ricky’s lap and said, “You’d better put your pretty legs down and put on your pants, lover boy, because you have to figure out what you’re going to do next.” He gestured to the car sticking out of the lake and frowned. This brought Ricky back to reality fast. He turned and looked at the car again, then closed his eyes and said, “I’m a dead man.”

****

A tow truck fished the car out of the lake that same night. A big, burly man in plaid managed to back the truck down the lawn of the yacht club and retrieve the car without attracting any attention. Of course Ricky had to tip the tow truck operator very well so he’d come out that late and so he wouldn’t report this incident to the police or the yacht club. Ricky used the money he’d received when he’d cashed in his bond, not even thinking twice about ruining the dock at the yacht club. As far as he was concerned, the old dock should have been replaced years ago, and it was partly their fault it had collapsed for not maintaining it they way they should have. After all, it could have been a group of people standing on that dock in the summertime when it gave way. When the car was up on the flatbed, the tow truck operator opened the driver’s door and a rush of water spilled out, along with seaweed, a few stray fish, and gobs of thick, auburn mud. Ricky’s stomach jumped and he pressed his palm to his throat. As he looked inside and saw the magnitude of the damage, he just stared down at his shoes and shook his head. Then Ricky gave the tow truck operator another two hundred dollars to drive them home before he dropped the car off at the Porsche dealership.

By the time it was all over and Ricky was home, Chad and Rocco went upstairs to get their things. Leyland patted his back and said he’d pick him up in the morning so they could talk to the guys at the Porsche dealership about fixing the car. When Leyland asked if he was okay, Ricky nodded and said he was fine. After Leyland left, Chad walked out of the kitchen carrying the aquarium that housed his iguana, Sparky. He told Ricky he was going back to New York to spend the night at Rocco’s apartment. He handed Ricky the address and his phone number. Ricky just nodded and smiled, too weak to lift his arms or move his legs. As the two men went out the front door with their heads down, Ricky felt a tug in his stomach. But he didn’t hug Chad or kiss him goodbye. He didn’t run after him and beg him to stay. Now that all the drama and suspense was over, the only events Ricky had the energy to concentrate on were saving what was left of his life as he knew it. He had to pull together, get the car fixed, and figure out a way to keep from screwing up his life any more than he’d already screwed it up. Unfortunately, Chad didn’t fit into the picture. Evidently Chad knew this and he didn’t put up a fight. He seemed to know Ricky had more important things to deal with than helping a couple of male prostitutes hide from their pimp, and he left Ricky’s house quietly, without a scene or any distraction. When he was halfway down the front walk, he stopped and turned. He looked back at Ricky, adjusted the heavy aquarium to the left, and waved his right hand.

****

On Wednesday morning, Ricky and Leyland were the first two at the Porsche dealership. Ricky felt disconnected and separated from the rest of the world. He tapped his foot and chewed

his fingernails. The only sleep Ricky had the night before was when he’d dozed off on the living room sofa for a half hour. When he’d tried to close his eyes, he kept picturing the water rushing out of the car. Then he would imagine his father’s disappointed expression and a sense of dizziness would overtake him. His eyes were heavy that morning, with dark circles, and he was still wearing the same clothes he’d worn the day before. He hadn’t even showered or bothered to comb his hair. His skin smelled damp and musty like the lake, and his feet were sore from the dock. While the mechanics looked over the damage, Ricky and Leyland waited in the showroom with their hands folded on their laps. Ricky kept repeating, “I still can’t believe this happened,” and Leyland kept patting his arm and saying, “It’s all good. Don’t worry.” But when the service manager walked toward them and lifted a clipboard, Ricky gulped and closed his eyes. When he told Ricky what it would cost to repair the car and get it back to normal, Ricky clutched the arms of the chair and turned pale white. Leyland grabbed his arm. “Are you okay?” Ricky nodded. “Do you want an aspirin or anything?” Leyland asked, shrugging his shoulders Ricky shook his head and stood up. He gestured to the service manager and said, “Just fix it. I’ll pay for it somehow. I need it by Friday.”

****

At school, Leyland went right to his second class and didn’t bother trying to argue being marked late that day. “I’ve already been accepted in the school I want to go to. I don’t care if

they mark me late. They can go fuck themselves as far as I’m concerned,” he told Ricky. “In a couple of months I’m out of here forever.” He was going to a local college in northern New Jersey, not an Ivy League school that required perfection. Leyland wasn’t exactly sure what he wanted to do with his life, but he was leaning toward becoming a schoolteacher. He said his one goal in life was to go after all the mean, evil teachers he’d ever had in school. He told everyone it was easier to get them from the inside than the outside. He even had fantasies of becoming a school principal so he could really get even where it counted. But Ricky wanted to get into an Ivy League school, and he had to go to the office and try to get out of being marked late. Just one blemish on his record could hinder him from being accepted in the perfect college; just one hint of disobedience could ruin his entire life. So he walked into the office and moved toward the nurse’s desk. In his school, the nurse was the one who handled late excuses for students with medical problems and doctor’s appointments. He frowned when he saw he would have to deal with Nurse Cunt that morning. Her real name was Nurse Riley, but she looked and behaved so much like conservative television personality Bill O’Reilly in Halloween drag, everyone called her Nurse Cunt behind her back. Ricky despised the C word and never used it, but the other students at his school weren’t as kind as he was. Ricky stepped up to the desk and smiled. Nurse Cunt was staring down at the counter, writing something. He leaned on the counter with his elbows and laced his fingers together. With every ounce of energy he had left, he lifted his voice and said, “Good morning, Nurse Riley. I had a doctor’s appointment this morning and that’s why I’m late. I just wanted to stop by and mention this so it doesn’t go on my record.” While he said this, it occurred to him how utterly

ridiculous it was to be judged for being less than two hours late. Up until now, his attendance record had been perfect. Nurse Cunt had to see this and spare him some compassion. Without looking up, Nurse Cunt said, “I’ll need to see a doctor’s excuse.” Ricky smiled. “Here’s the thing, Nurse Riley. I don’t have a doctor’s excuse. I forgot to get one. By the time I remembered it was too late. I didn’t want to miss any more school by going back to get one.” He tilted his head and smiled. He tapped the counter and said, “I’m so sorry. I should have thought about it ahead of time. Can’t you please give me a break?” He figured humility and begging couldn’t hurt. There had to be a heart somewhere in the depths of Nurse Cunt’s walrus shaped body. Nurse Cunt looked up from the counter and stared him down. With a doomed expression and a wrecked voice, she raised one eyebrow and said, “Sorry, not without a written doctor’s excuse. You will be marked late.” Then, as if she were enjoying this, her wrinkled lips parted and gave way into what could have been mistaken for a smile. “But if I’m marked late it will ruin my record. I won’t get into the school my parents want me to attend and my life will be ruined.”[M2] She smiled wider. “Not without a written excuse.” Then she turned her back on him and crossed to the other side of the counter to help a young woman who had just entered the office, dismissing him as if he were nothing more than a piece of trash on the side of the road. Ricky’s face became warm and his heart started beating faster. He ran his palm through his hair and tapped the counter. This would ruin him. Being late would be a mark on his record he’d never overcome. So he walked up to the young woman, gently pushed her aside, and looked into Nurse Cunt’s heavily bagged eyes again. “Look, all I need is just this one favor. Please help

me out. I wasn’t telling the truth before.” He shrugged his shoulders and sent her his most endearing smile. Nurse Cunt smiled and adjusted the collar on her white nurse’s uniform, as if she knew she had him where she wanted him. Ah well, the old bitch was enjoying this. “I was actually at the car dealership this morning, because last night my father’s car went into Lake Rogerine at the yacht club and I had to see about getting it fixed. It’s my father’s pride and joy. I had to deal with it, and that’s why I was late this morning.” Nurse Cunt frowned. She lifted her right arm, sent him a blank, unforgiving stare, and trilled her fingers. “Why can’t you do this just once? I’m not asking for the world. Just a little slack.” She smiled and trilled her fingers again. When Ricky saw he wasn’t making any progress and that she was about to turn her back on him, he clenched his teeth and leaned forward. He grabbed her by her starched white collar and said, “Look, lady, I have a perfect attendance record, and I’m not going to let you screw up my entire future. I’ve spent four years here breaking my ass in this fucking hole working hard to be the perfect student.” He took a deep breath and slightly released his grip on her collar. “I’m sorry for being so insistent, Nurse Cunt, but I’m not going to leave until you give me a little consideration.” When Nurse Cunt’s lips tightened and she sent him a seething glare, he knew it wasn’t a good sign. When he put her hands on her wide hips, looked down at the way he was holding her collar, gritted her teeth, and said, “Let go of me, pal,” it felt as if someone had whacked him in the stomach with a baseball bat.

Chapter Thirteen

By the time Ricky was released from the principal’s office, it was almost noon. He’d spent the rest of the morning there while Nurse Cunt filed a formal complaint against him for getting in her face. He sat in the principal’s office staring down at his lap as Nurse Cunt went into an hour-long dissertation about disrespect, student ethics, and the dangers she faced every day with rowdy, disruptive students. Oh, the things they called her behind her back and the way they murmured when she walked down the halls. Ricky turned out to be the scapegoat Nurse Cunt been looking for all year. He’d crossed the line and she was ready to snatch him up as her sacrifice. Evidently, the students despised her. Among other things, she’d received hate letters in the mail, bags of dog feces in her office, and her tires had been deflated six times by students who wanted to get even with her. She sat across from the principal with a lugubrious expression and tears in her eyes, explaining how poorly she had been treated. But every so often, when the principal turned his head, she’d send Ricky a glance and a smile so he’d know exactly what she was doing. After the principal listened to Nurse Cunt’s endless tirade, he asked Ricky if he had anything to say. Although Ricky wanted to club Nurse Cunt, he smiled, lowered his eyes, and said, “I’m just sorry poor Nurse Riley has to deal with all this disrespect. And I’m so sorry for losing control this morning. I never meant any harm, I really didn’t.” He sent Nurse Cunt an insincere smile, with quick wink the principal couldn’t see. “And if there’s anything I can do to make it up to Nurse Riley, I’ll be more than happy to oblige.” He looked her in the eye, then

moved forward and reached for her bony, spotted hand. “I’m so sorry, please forgive me. You deserve better than this.” The principal took his immaculate record and his good grades into consideration. But he couldn’t ignore the event without handing out sufficient punishment. So he gave Ricky out-ofschool suspension for the rest of the week and asked Ricky to write a formal written apology to Nurse Cunt. Then he removed Ricky from the Entrepreneurial Project as well. Ricky was too exhausted to argue and he knew the principal was going easy on him. He also knew he’d been wrong to lose control and grab Nurse Cunt’s collar the way he had. He thanked the principal and told Nurse Cunt he’d get a letter to her before the end of the week. Then he walked out of the office with his head down and his shoulders slumped. When Ricky went outside, he wasn’t sure which way to turn. Leyland was locking up his bicycle beside a long row of other bikes out front. He looked up at Ricky and said, “I heard about the suspension and your getting kicked out of the project. I’m sorry.” Ricky frowned. “You heard about it already?” “It’s all over school,” Leyland said. “I got a call from Glen on my cell phone a minute ago. Glen has a friend who works in the principal’s office.” He stood up and patted Ricky’s back. “Are you okay, man?” Ricky didn’t know how to answer. He nodded and said, “I’m fine.” But he felt numb all over, and his brain had turned to mush. He’d never been reprimanded, scolded, or suspended from anything in his life. As a child, he’d always received A’s in conduct. He’d always been known as the strait-laced type who was that rare combination of school jock and academic overachiever. Getting suspended for one week and being kicked out of the project would blemish

his academic career forever. If he’d ever had slight a chance of getting into an Ivy League school, it was finished now. And so was his life. Then JC and Glen pulled up on their bikes and tried to console him. JC patted his back and said, “I’m sorry, buddy.” Glen looked down at his shoes and said, “If you need anything, man, I’m here.” But all Ricky wanted to do was get away from school as fast as possible. He experienced a sense of urgency that caused his heart to start racing out of control. He grabbed Leyland’s bike and said, “Can I borrow this?” Leyland said, “You want my bike? How will I get home?” Glen punched Leyland and said, “He wants to borrow your bike, asshole. Let him have it.” Leyland blinked, then lifted the bike and handed it to Ricky without saying a word. Ricky didn’t even thank him. He took the bike, jumped onto the seat, and raced away from the school grounds as though he were being chased down the street. For the next six hours, he pedaled aimlessly through streets he’d never known. He sped down Route 46, past Dick’s Diner, ignoring the honking cars. He rode up steep hills in Denville, cruised down more steep hills in Rockaway, and circled the Rockaway Townsquare Mall twenty-seven times. After that, he rode down Route 10 to the old Sussex Turnpike, and into Morristown where he almost ran over an older man on The Green. He didn’t pay attention to traffic signs or oncoming cars. He just wanted to drift. He didn’t want to think about the future, getting into college, or how his parents were going to react to the way he’d screwed up. At dusk, he managed to get home in one piece. But instead of going into the house like he should have done, he parked the bike and jumped into his mother’s minivan. Though he was

devastated about everything that had happened, he couldn’t stop thinking about Chad. In fact, the more he tried to forget about Chad, the more he wanted to see him and be with him. There were times the sensations were so strong he could actually smell and taste Chad. So he drove into New York and straight to Rocco’s apartment in the East Village. He’d kept the address in his pocket since Chad had given it to him. He found a parking space two blocks away and jogged all the way to Rocco’s building. Passersby cursed him for bumping into their elbows and brushing against their bags. Cars honked when he crossed in front of them. But he just kept jogging, unaware of anything around him. Rocco lived on the top floor of a five-story walk-up with bars on the windows and trash strewn across the front steps. Ricky ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time. When he reached Rocco’s door, he pounded hard with the side of his fist. And when Rocco opened the door in his boxer shorts, holding a pint of ice cream, Ricky took a quick breath and said, “I need to see Chad.” He knew his face had to be red. His hair was damp with perspiration and he could smell his own underarms because he hadn’t showered all day. Rocco stepped to the side and gestured toward the living room. When Ricky entered, he saw Chad sitting in a black leather chair near a cloudy, smudged window. He was watching television and eating ice cream. He was in his underwear: tight olive green boxer briefs and a white T-shirt. Ricky stopped in the middle of the room and stared at him with a hapless expression. His legs became wobbly and his hands began to shake. Chad turned in his direction. He placed the ice cream container on a side table and slowly stood up from the chair. He looked Ricky up and down, then crossed to where he was standing. Ricky didn’t speak. He just stood there with slumped shoulders. He spread his arms apart and shook his head. When Chad took another step forward and wrapped his arms around Ricky’s

trembling body, Ricky fell into Chad’s arms and started crying for the first time that day. He cried for ruining his father’s car and for ruining his chances of getting into an Ivy League school. He cried for all the things he’d missed during his adolescence because he’d always been so obedient and willing to please his parents. He cried because he didn’t know who he was anymore and because he’d been working toward goals he didn’t even care about. And, most of all, he cried because he was safe now, in Chad’s arms, and he finally felt as if he had one place in the world to go when he truly needed someone. While he cried, Rocco stood in the hall watching as Chad caressed the back of his head and said, “It’s going to be okay, Ricky. I promise.”

****

Rocco wound up sleeping on the sofa, and Ricky and Chad slept in Rocco’s bed. But they didn’t actually fall asleep until after midnight. After Ricky pulled himself together and apologized for losing control and crying, Chad took him into the bathroom and drew a hot bath in Rocco’s old-fashioned ball and claw foot bathtub. While Ricky just stood there staring at the steam, Chad lit a long row of candles on a shelf above the tub and turned off the lights. Then he helped Ricky out of his soiled clothes and removed his own underwear. He kissed the top of Ricky’s head and tested the water to make sure it wasn’t too hot. When they stepped into the hot, soapy bathwater, Chad sat down first and rested against the back of the tub. Then Ricky sat down and rested his back against Chad’s chest. “Do you feel better now?” Chad whispered into Ricky’s ear with his deep, smooth voice. He massaged Ricky’s shoulders, working out all the tension.

Ricky nodded. Though he was still reeling from the school suspension, his hands weren’t shaking anymore and his heart was beating at a normal rate. Being like this with Chad, he realized, was more than just sex between men, more than two horny, well-hung guys getting it on together while the other hot roommate was in the living room. This was far more than a huge erection pressed against the small of his back, more than big strong arms around his shoulders, and more than hairy, muscular legs rubbing against his smooth soft legs. This went beyond anything he’d ever seen in porn films or read about in dirty magazines. He readjusted his position and snuggled up to Chad’s warm body so that his lips would be less than an inch from Chad’s large bicep. The smell of the spicy, sudsy bath soap combined with Chad’s natural masculine scent made him almost delirious. He closed his eyes and exhaled with such force it felt as if he were blowing all his problems into the universe and losing them forever. The two guys remained in the tub for hours, watching the candles flicker, caressing each other’s bodies without saying a word. Each time the water started to get cold, Chad would release the drain stop, add more soap, and turn the hot water on. He explored every inch of Ricky’s body, and Ricky did the same to him. Ricky even massaged Chad’s large feet and sucked each one of his toes individuallywhile Chad closed his eyes and moaned so loud Rocco knocked on the door and asked if they were okay. Ricky was sucking Chad’s big toe at the time and couldn’t speak. So Chad lifted his head and said, “We’re good, buddy. Go to bed.” By the time Ricky’s stomach was pressed to Chad’s stomach and their dicks were rubbing together under the water, Chad slid his middle finger into Ricky’s body and started probing. He didn’t ram it in and out fast; he explored with gentle turns and circles. Ricky closed his eyes and arched his back, offering his body to Chad without hesitating. He spread his legs

until his knees were against the porcelain, he held onto Chad’s shoulders so he could keep his head above the water. “Is this okay?” Chad asked. His middle finger was in Ricky’s body as far as it would go and he was moving it back and forth. Ricky nodded and smiled. Chad always asked, which was nice. “I like it,” he said, amazed at how one simple finger was like offering the world to him. “That’s good,” Chad said, twirling his finger now. Ricky moaned as Chad’s finger hit a sensitive spot. “Why?” “I want to open you up a little before I fuck you again,” Chad said. Ricky wished he could spread his legs wider but the damn tub was narrow. So he lifted one leg over the side of the tub and let it dangle. “Do whatever you want, Chad.” When they finally emerged from the tub, they dried each other slowly. Ricky got down on his knees and rubbed every inch of Chad’s erection, taking extra time to rub his balls dry with soft gentle strokes. After that, they went into the bedroom and Chad put on a condom. Ricky would have sucked him off for a while, but Chad seemed so eager to mount him he didn’t want to ruin the moment. So he went down on his back in the middle of Rocco’s bed, lifted his legs, and spread them wishbone-style. When Chad entered him this time, he wrapped his legs around Chad’s waist and caressed the back of Chad’s head. While Chad bucked his hips, Ricky closed his eyes and made soft, breathy noises. The faster Chad bucked, the more Ricky moaned. He tried to move his hips to reciprocate. But he ultimately wound up just lying there doing nothing, and Chad pounded away without taking a break. Toward the end, Ricky’s arms dangled at his sides and his head bounced on the pillow. Chad had transformed from a gentle, concerned lover in the bathroom into a violent, passionate

lover in the bedroom. He wanted Ricky’s ass and he took it. He wanted to bang and slam and he did. His face turned so red and he bit his bottom lip so hard Ricky was worried he’d draw blood. But Chad knew what he was doing. He managed to bring Ricky close to climax and Ricky wasn’t even touching his own dick. When Chad finally grunted and said he was going to come, Ricky grabbed his own dick with one hand and Chad’s neck with the other and said, “I’m ready, Chad. Don’t stop.” “It’s not too rough?” Chad asked, with a breathy whisper. “I’m good.” “I might get a little rougher,” Chad said. “I’m warning you ahead of time.” “I’m good,” Ricky repeated. He wanted to shout and yell. He wanted to beg Chad to bang him harder. But he didn’t want Rocco to hear them and he didn’t want Chad to think he was some kind of sex maniac. After all, he was new to all this. A minute later, Chad grunted louder and said he was coming. He slammed into Ricky’s ass so hard Ricky’s head went sideways against the headboard. Chad plugged him again three times, with such intense bangs the bed rocked and an alarm clocked fell from the nightstand. Though Ricky’s body was crunched and contorted and his knees were practically in his ears, Ricky jerked his dick and shot a load that landed all over his face. Chad opened his eyes and looked down. “Are you okay?” He was still grinding his hips, still drilling Ricky’s ass. Ricky nodded and said, “I’m good.” He smiled at Chad and lifted his hand. Then he wiped up a few drops of come with his index finger and licked his finger clean. Chad pushed harder and said, “That was hot, man. Hotter than when you licked my forehead the other day. Do it again. Lick your fingers.”

Ricky smiled, wiped his cheek with his finger, and licked it clean. He’d had been hoping Chad would enjoy watching him do this. Leyland had once told him most gay guys enjoy watching other guys lick come off their fingers. “Kiss me,” Ricky said. But he wasn’t so sure Chad would kiss him until he cleaned his face. The last time Ricky had licked Chad’s face, Ricky’s face had been clean and dry. Chad hesitated for a moment. He stared at the come all over Ricky’s face and lips. Then he leaned forward, slipped his tongue into Ricky’s mouth, and kissed him so hard Ricky almost lost his breath. But in the morning, Chad wasn’t as eager to taste his own come. After he gave Ricky an early morning facial at Ricky’s request, he came all over Ricky’s face. But when Ricky wanted to kiss this time, Chad refused. He told Ricky he couldn’t stand the thought of tasting his own come. For some reason he couldn’t explain, Chad thought it was sexy when Ricky swallowed his own come and Chad didn’t mind the taste of Ricky’s come (he said it was sweet) but Chad couldn’t stand the thought of his own. He said it “creeped” him out. Ricky just shrugged his shoulders and smiled. This sex thing, Ricky was learning, was all very subjective. “It’s okay,” he said. “This just means there’s more of you for me to enjoy. Because I like the way yours tastes.” Then he licked his lips clean and swallowed as Chad kneeled over his body staring at him with a confused expression, rubbing the head of his penis across Ricky’s lower lip.

Chapter Fourteen

The next morning, a cloudy Thursday, Chad pulled Ricky’s mother’s angel out of a carton and placed it in the middle of Rocco’s dining table. “Here you go,” he said, pouring a cup of coffee for Ricky. “I was going to ship it to you overnight. I went back to my apartment, climbed up the fire escape, and slipped in through an unlocked window so Carson wouldn’t see me. I grabbed it fast because I knew how much you needed it.” “Why wouldn’t you just deliver it to me?” Ricky asked. They were both walking around in their underwear. Ricky had put on the olive boxer briefs Chad had been wearing the day before because it made him feel sexy knowing Chad had worn them for an entire day. Chad shrugged and sat down at the table. “I was afraid you wouldn’t want to see me again. I feel like I ruined your whole life.” Ricky sat across from him and caressed the putto with both palms. At least with the putto back, he was seeing signs of hope. Now he just had to figure out a way to pay to have his father’s car fixed. “You didn’t ruin my life,” he said, reaching for Chad’s hand. “If anything, you’ve made my life better than I ever thought it could be.” As Ricky leaned across the table to kiss Chad, Rocco sat up on the sofa and groaned. “Don’t you two ever fucking knock it off?” he said rubbing his eyes. “I heard you fucking all night, this morning, and now you’re at it again.” He stood up and scratched his balls. He was only wearing rumpled white boxer shorts and the tip of his semi-erect dick was sticking out of the opening of the left leg.

Ricky tried not to notice Rocco’s dick, but it was almost as big as Chad’s dick and he couldn’t help staring at it. He’d never seen this much dick up close. It made him feel warm and comfortable. But Chad pointed to Rocco’s boxer shorts and said, “Cover it up, man. I don’t want you walking around like that in front of Ricky unless I give you permission. He’s not used to that sort of thing.” Ricky smiled and stared down at the table. Chad seemed to have a thing about giving people permission when it came to sex. Ricky didn’t mind seeing Rocco’s dick. Actually, he was enjoying everything so much he couldn’t stop smiling. A week before this he never would have imagined he’d be walking around in his boyfriend’s worn underwear while his boyfriend’s sexy roommate walked around exposing his dick. But he didn’t want Chad to get jealous or mad, so he lifted his coffee and looked out the window as if he hadn’t seen a thing. Rocco laughed and pulled down the front of his boxers. He grabbed his dick and waved it back and forth. “Are you talking about this fucking bad boy?” he asked, biting his bottom lip. He walked closer to Ricky and shook his dick faster. “Does this bother you Ricky? Because from the sounds I heard coming from the fucking bedroom last night, I have this feeling you like dick a lot.” Ricky didn’t look at Rocco. He remained quiet, inhaling the aroma coming from between Rocco’s legs. Chad clenched his fists and slammed them on the table. The coffee cups rattled and the crystal putto shook back and forth. Ricky reached for the putto to balance it. He’d just gotten it back; he didn’t want it to break. Chad shook his fist in Rocco’s face and said, “Knock it off, man. I don’t want you doing shit like that to Ricky and I don’t want you treating him like he’s just

another piece of trash. He’s different. He’s not like you and me. And unless I give you permission, you keep your dick in your pants at all times.” Ricky was almost ready to tell Chad to calm down. But he merely looked down at his lap. Ricky didn’t think he was all that special. But if Chad thought he was, he wasn’t going to complain about it. Rocco pulled up his pants and stepped back. He looked down at Ricky and said, “I’m sorry, Ricky. I didn’t mean anything by that. I was just joking.” Ricky reached for Chad’s hand. Chad’s face was still red and he was breathing heavier. “Thank you. No one has ever done anything that nice for me before.” Then he looked at Rocco and said, “I know you were joking, Rocco. It’s okay.” Poor Rocco; he had a dejected look, as if he’d just been punished by his mother. Chad sulked. “He shouldn’t joke around that way with another guy’s boyfriend.” Ricky smiled. He hadn’t been sure they were boyfriends, at least not officially. He rubbed Chad’s hand and said, “He was only joking. Don’t be mad at him. Leyland is always joking around like that.” “Yeah, man,” Rocco said. “Are we cool?” “Yeah, we’re cool,” Chad said. “But don’t do it again unless I say you can. Ricky’s not like that. He’s different.” Well. Ricky was like that, but what Chad didn’t know wouldn’t hurt him. Evidently he was the jealous, possessive type. So Ricky kissed him on the cheek and poured a cup of coffee for Rocco, trying hard not to look at the outline of Rocco’s dick through his white boxer briefs. Though Ricky never would have done anything with Rocco, he certainly couldn’t be blamed for looking and admiring.

Chapter Fifteen

“Remember what I asked you about the other night?” Chad said. They were lounging together in their underwear on Rocco’s black leather sofa. Chad’s legs were spread wide and Ricky was sitting between them, leaning against Chad’s chest and playing with the fuzzy hair on his thighs. “What are you talking about?” He was touching Chad very gently, hoping to arouse him again without being too obvious. Rocco had gone out for a run and they were all alone in the apartment. Chad reached down to adjust his dick so it would point up instead of sideways. “I said that if we get our friends together for just one night, we could make a fortune. I know what I’m talking about.” Ricky ran his fingertips up and down Chad’s leg and thought for a moment. “I don’t want to get into any more trouble than I’m already in,” he said. “I’ve already done enough damage. What you want to do is illegal.” He felt Chad’s erection pulsing against his back. “We could make enough money in one night to cover the repair costs to your father’s car and no one will ever find out,” Chad said. His voice grew softer, the way it always did when he was becoming seriously aroused. Ricky stared at the way the muscles in Chad’s calves rounded. He was sitting too far back to reach them, but he imagining how they would feel against his tongue. Chad was all man, and Ricky wanted to taste every inch of him. “Are you serious about this?” Chad did have a point. Ricky needed money for his father’s car.

“Very serious,” Chad said. “We could organize it together. We can make a small fortune. I’ve been watching how Carson does it for a while now. And I won’t treat the employees like he treats them. I’ll give them all respect.” “Do you know enough women?” Ricky thought this was an important question. Most of his friends who would be potential clients were straight guys and they wouldn’t be interested in men. They didn’t even know Ricky and Leyland were gay. “I know plenty of working women who would be interested,” Chad said. “They’d be thrilled to get out of the city for one night and work in a clean place like your house.” “My house?” This made Ricky’s left eye twitch. “We have to have a place big enough for an operation like this.” Chad bent his leg at the knee and Ricky leaned forward to kiss it. Though he loved every inch of Chad’s body, there was something about Chad’s strong masculine legs that made Ricky go lightheaded. Even though they hadn’t stopped making love since he’d arrived, Ricky was ready to fall down on his knees all over again. He licked Chad’s leg and ran his cheek alongside his knee. He closed his eyes and made a humming sound under his breath that resembled a cat purring. Chad lifted his other leg and rested it on Ricky’s lap. He pressed his large foot between Ricky’s legs, twisted it sideways, and said, “We can make a lot of money. And it’s only one night.” Ricky reached for Chad’s foot and massaged it with both hands. A minute after that, he pushed Chad’s legs forward, rose to his knees, and turned on his stomach so he could face Chad. He looked into Chad’s eyes with a serious expression, then reached between Chad’s legs and pulled his dick and balls out of his boxer shorts at the same time.

Chad’s head fell back on the arm of the leather sofa and he spread his legs wider. When Ricky went down so he could suck him off, Chad grabbed the back of Ricky’s head and pushed it up and down. When he pushed down, Ricky took him to the back of his throat without gagging or showing any signs of discomfort. Ricky was amazed at how much he could take. When Chad pulled Ricky’s head back, he stopped in just enough time that Ricky’s lips were still wrapped about the head. They knew Rocco could walk in on them at any minute, so Ricky sucked harder and faster than normal this time. Without removing Chad’s cock from Ricky’s mouth, Chad sat up and turned so he could rest against the back of the sofa in an upright position and place his feet on the floor. Ricky moved with care, sucking the entire time, and wound up on the floor between the glass coffee table and the sofa. In less than five minutes, Chad’s upper body bolted forward and his face turned red. Then his legs opened wider and he grabbed the arm of the sofa. “Yeah,” he said. “Fuck yeah. I’m close, Ricky.” Ricky looked up and stopped sucking. His eyes opened wide and he nodded, giving Chad permission to come in his mouth. Chad caressed the top of his head and said, “Don’t stop. I’m almost there.” When Chad climaxed this time, Ricky went all the way down on his dick. With his lips against Chad’s dark pubic hair and Chad poking the back of his throat, Ricky placed his tongue on the bottom of Chad’s shaft and sucked even harder. Ricky felt dangerous and naughty and started jacking his own dick. The more Ricky let down his defenses and insecurities, the sloppier he sucked and the more aroused he became. By the time Ricky climaxed, he was still sucking with such ferocity he felt the orgasm in his tongue and the sides of his face.

Ricky hated to let go. Half the fun for him was sucking on Chad’s dick until it went flaccid inside his mouth and he knew he’d drained it dry. Chad didn’t complain. He just sat back, sighed, and closed his eyes. But they both forgot about Rocco, and when Rocco bolted through the door and walked into the living room and caught Ricky on his knees with Chad’s dick in his mouth, he stopped in his tracks and smiled. He grabbed his crotch and said, “I’m next, Ricky, baby.” Ricky released Chad and lifted his head. He remained on his knees. He wouldn’t have minded crawling across the room and sucking Rocco off, too. It was the least he could do for letting him spend the night there. But Chad jumped up from the sofa and put his dick back into his underwear. Then he pointed to the bedroom door and said, “Go take your fucking shower, bud.” He clenched his fists and squared his shoulders. “I’m serious. Get the fuck out of here.” Rocco’s hands went up in surrender, and he laughed. “It’s cool. I was just joking.” Then he headed off to the bedroom so he could take a shower and get dressed. When Rocco was gone, Chad helped Ricky to his feet and put his arms around him. “I’m sorry about that guy,” he said. “I’m sorry if he insulted you. He has no manners at all. He’s just a big slob.” Ricky rested his head on Chad’s chest and smiled. “Don’t get so mad,” he said. “I’m not interested in anyone else but you.” It was the truth. He wouldn’t have minded sucking Rocco off that morning. But if he’d had a choice between Chad and any other man, he would have chosen Chad. “You mean that?” Chad asked. He slipped his hand down the olive boxer briefs Ricky was still wearing and groped Ricky’s ass.

Ricky nodded yes and arched his back so Chad could reach the bottom of his ass. Under the circumstances, he was enjoying this way more than he should have been enjoying it. Not only was he getting fucked by and sucking off the man of his dreams, but thatman of his dreams was ready to stand up and fight for him. Oh, it couldn’t get any better than this. Then Chad said, “It kills me to think about you with a guy like Rocco. He’s an idiot. I know this sounds crazy, but I think I’m in love with you.” Ricky blinked. Chad could be so dramatic sometimes. “I can’t think about anyone but you.” “I think I’m in love with you, too,” Ricky said. He wasn’t completely sure about it, actually. But what else could he say?

****

If anyone had mentioned to Ricky he’d be running a brothel in his parent’s home, he would have laughed in their face. But after Ricky and Chad showered together and dressed, Chad began making phone calls and arranging everything. Ricky stood there gaping at Chad, fascinated by how he took control in such an organized way. The milquetoast high school teacher in charge of Ricky’s entrepreneurial project never explained starting a business this way. He just stood at a podium and read about what it was like to start a business, without any hands-on experience, from a thick textbook through his cloudy wire-framed eyeglasses. In less than fifteen minutes, Chad turned Rocco’s dining table into a makeshift desk. Then he turned the living room into an office and delegated orders to both Ricky and Rocco.

While Chad organized the layout of Ricky’s house, making sure there would be plenty of room to set up this one-night operation, Ricky and Rocco made a list of everyone they knew. Ricky called Leyland and explained everything in detail. Ricky told Leyland to go to his house in case Chad’s friends arrived before they did. And Leyland was only too happy to help out, knowing he’d receive a nice cut of the profits and another chance to spend time with Rocco. By the time Chad, Ricky, and Rocco pulled into Ricky’s driveway, it was late afternoon and there wasn’t much time to spare. They wanted to be there earlier. But after they finished working in Rocco’s apartment, they had a few stops to make, which included a trip to the bank where Ricky could cash a few more bonds so they could buy enough twin mattresses to accommodate their clients. Ricky wasn’t sure about the mattresses. But he relented when Chad promised him they’d throw the mattresses out the next day and return the entire house to normal. When Ricky exited the van, there were men carrying mattresses up the front walk and into the front door. Leyland was standing at the door, wearing a starched white dress shirt and a huge smile. This sort of affair was right up Leyland’s alley. When he saw Chad, Ricky, and Rocco following two guys carrying a mattress, he met them on the walk and said, “Things are moving along very well.” Then he stared down at the bulge in Rocco’s crotch and licked his lips. “Very well, indeed.” “Did any of the girls arrive?” Ricky asked. He was carrying his mother’s putto in his arms, close to his chest. He felt a pull in his stomach when he imagined his mother’s face if she could see what they were doing to her house. “They’re all here,” Leyland said. “Where are the guys?”

“We only need Rocco,” Chad said. “And Rocco’s twin brother, Jocko, is coming out to help if we need him. Those two can take care of any guys who might stop by tonight as potential clients. Most of the clients tonight are going to be interested in women, not men.” Ricky blinked. “Rocco and Jocko?” Leyland sent Rocco a smile and looked him up and down. “You have a twin brother? Is he an identical twin?” Rocco square his shoulders. “Yeah, he’s identical. What about it?” Leyland continued to stare at Rocco’s pants. He poked Ricky with his elbow and said, “Oh, I’m looking forward to this now more than ever.” “Don’t fucking look at me that way,” Rocco said. “If you fucking think you’re getting anything for free tonight, bitch, you’re fucking crazy. I’m a fucking professional when I’m working and so is my fucking brother.” Leyland was a few steps ahead of him. He pulled a fan of twenty-dollar bills out of his pocket and waved them in Rocco’s face. “Don’t worry. I’m no amateur. I’m fully prepared.” Then Ricky walked into the living room so he could put his mother’s angel back on the mantel and Chad went into the kitchen so he could organize the women who had arrived. Without even realizing it, Ricky and Chad had fallen into distinct roles. Chad was in charge of finances and management, and Ricky was in charge of marketing and sales. This seemed to work out well, being as Chad seemed to have less patience with people than Ricky did. While Chad was working, Chad tended to hand out orders and demands without thinking twice about anyone’s feelings, where Ricky tended to smile and approach people with a gentle, friendly attitude. Besides, Ricky knew how to use his computer and work the social networks to attract clients without arousing any suspicion.

So Ricky went up to his room and put the dark jacket that went with his new graduation suit. He put on a pair of dark glasses with thick black frames and kissed Chad goodbye. Then he hopped into his mother’s minivan and headed out to line up clients. He went to the diner on Route 46 first and discreetly told Glen to tell all his buddies on the football team about what they were doing that night. Glen smiled so wide his upper gums showed. He promised Ricky that his football buddies would be just as excited as he was and they had plenty of money to spend. Then Ricky went to get gas at a local gas station where his friend Marty worked. Marty was one of those artistic emo types, with tons of male friends who wore exaggerated black outfits, and dyed their hair and painted their fingernails black. After that, Ricky made a few more stops at places where he thought he’d be able to attract more clients. He sold his business model with a smile and a smooth tone, asking them to keep this all on the down-low and promising them they’d have the best time of their lives. And he told them all the same thing before he left: to spread the word on the social networks that there was a big party at Ricky’s house that night for guys only. He told them to say it was a party revolving around sports and to mention they had to bring cash to enjoy the festivities. By doing this online, he was hoping to attract every horny high school jock in the county, not to mention guys from the community college. By the time Ricky pulled into the driveway three hours later, it was dark outside. There were cars lining both sides of the street, every light in the house blazed, and the front lawn was stippled with young guys he’d never even met. Groups of young guys mingled and horsed around near the lamppost. On the front walk, Ricky watched guys with nervous frowns enter the house while guys with huge confident smiles left. It was after eight by then, and in spite of the large crowd there wasn’t as much noise as Ricky had expected. There wasn’t any alcohol or loud music, and everyone seemed to be speaking in low, conservative voices.

Before Ricky entered, he saw the divorced guy from the house next door staring over the hedges. His car door was still open and he was wearing a gray business suit as if he’d just returned from work. He didn’t know Ricky was watching him; he was too busy staring at all the commotion in Ricky’s yard. So Ricky smiled and walked up to Rocco on the front steps. Chad had put Rocco in charge of the front door, acting as a bouncer of sorts. He was wearing a tight black muscle shirt and jeans ripped in strategic places that showed off his bulky legs and a good part of his groin just below his genitals. “Hey, Rocco,” Ricky said. “I’m Jocko. Rocco is inside with a client.” Ah well, they were identical. They even dressed alike. Ricky put his arm around him and turned him toward the house next door. “I’m Ricky, Chad’s business partner tonight. See that guy in the business suit over there? The thin, geeky-looking blond guy?” “Yeah.” “I’ll get Leyland to watch the door,” Ricky said. “I think if you go over there and have a little chat with him we’ll get another client. Charge him double.” He figured he’d make up what he’d lost with the free show he’d given him the other night. Jocko smiled and adjusted his T-shirt. “I’m on it, boss,” he said. Ricky watched him jog down the front lawn and turn left. Ricky had a feeling his creepy closeted gay neighbor would love this more than peeping out from his second floor window and jerking off in the dark. Inside, the house was just as active as the front lawn. There were young men everywhere he looked. And there was a long line of young men that ended at the top of the stairs and started all the way out on the rear deck off the kitchen. Ricky rubbed his palms together and smiled,

thinking of all the money they were going to take in that night. Then he crossed into the dining room where Leyland was talking to Glen and he asked Leyland to guard the front door for a while. After that, he sidled through the main floor, searching for Chad. He hadn’t seen him since he’d left and he wanted to know how things were going on Chad’s end. Chad wasn’t in the kitchen or the dining room, and he wasn’t in the living room. But when Ricky went into the small library that Ricky’s father used as a home office, he saw Chad sitting behind his father’s desk, staring down at the desktop, counting money and punching numbers into a calculator. Ricky walked inside and closed the door, then knocked on the desk and asked, “How are we doing? Will I make enough to pay for the car?” Ricky wasn’t greedy. He only wanted to get a semblance of his life back and put all this furtive business behind him. Chad’s body jerked and he looked up. “We are going to surpass all the numbers we predicted, Ricky. I can’t believe you know so many guys with money to spend. You’ll have enough to fix your father’s car and maybe get yourself a brand-new car before the night is over.”

Chapter Sixteen

“There’s a guy outside who says he wants to talk to you,” Leyland said. Ricky stood in the library as Chad counted the money. He gazed down at stacks of cash with one hand pressed to his throat and the other to his hip. “Who is he?” Leyland shrugged. “He said his name is Rogers. He said he had an appointment with you tonight to talk about school.” Ricky’s head snapped up and his stomach wrenched. This must be the guy from the Ivy League school his father had mentioned on the way to the airport. With everything that had been going on, Ricky had completely forgotten about this interview. He grabbed Chad’s arm and said, “I need to use this room. This is a matter of life or death. This guy is here to interview me to see if I qualify to get into his college. This is the college my parents have been planning on, the right school.” Without even so much as a stagger, Chad slowly gathered up the cash and placed it in a strong box. He locked the box and set it in a bottom desk drawer. Then he stood and stretched his arms and legs. “I’ll go out and see how things are moving along. I haven’t checked on what’s going on out there in an hour.” When Chad and Leyland exited, they turned left and went to the kitchen. Ricky turned right and headed for the front hallway. The first floor was jammed with so many people murmuring at low levels, the entire house seemed to echo with a huge, even hum. He passed a woman with long platinum-blond hair and a line of cleavage that had to be four inches long. She was talking to two young guys Ricky had never seen before. She laughed and rubbed their

shoulders, and they gazed into her eyes with solemn, lovesick expressions. The two guys standing behind them were counting money and digging into their pockets for loose change. At the end of the hall, Ricky saw Rocco and Jocko at the bottom of the stairs, with his next-door neighbor between them. The neighbor was smiling at Rocco, and Jocko had his palm on the small of the neighbor’s back. As Ricky approached them, he saw his neighbor take a business card from Rocco and ask, “Are you two boys always available together?” Rocco winked at Ricky and told the neighbor, “If that’s what you want, buddy, we’re always available to see you either together or separately. But it will cost you double.” The neighbor’s back was facing Ricky. He wasn’t paying attention to anything except the twins. He leaned into Jocko’s side and said, “No problem. I’ll pay double. I’ll give you guys a call later this week and we can set up something at my new place on the other side of town.” Then he shook both their hands and went out the front door with his head held high and a light step that Ricky had never seen before. Ricky should have been pleased. But there was a man in a dark business suit, carrying a black leather briefcase, standing near the stairs. The man was staring at Rocco and Jocko, rubbing his jaw. He looked down at the tear in Jocko’s jeans and blinked. He was a tall, thin man, with wavy brown hair, a dimple in his chin, and a thin upper lip shaped like the letter M. He looked as if he was in his thirties, but could have been pushing forty. He reminded Ricky of Joel Stein, a bent-over-backwards humor columnist from Time Magazine. There were three tall blondes in miniskirts and tube tops to his left, and a redhead and a brunette in similar outfits to his right. When Rocco looked at the man and nodded, the man’s face turned bright red and he looked down at his black leather oxfords to avoid direct eye contact. Before Rocco had a chance to approach the man, Ricky stepped up and reached for the man’s hand. “I’m Ricky Daley,” he said, forcing an endearing smile. “You must be Mr. Rogers.”

The man extended his arm and shook Ricky’s hand. “I’m Ted Rogers. I hope this isn’t a bad time,” he said. He looked around the house with one eyebrow higher than the other. Then he pressed his palm to his chest and took a quick breath. Ricky laughed and shrugged his shoulders. “We’re just having a little get-together, is all.” He reached for his elbow and said, “Let’s go into the library where we can talk. It’s quiet in there.” This wasn’t good. Ricky’s father would murder him for sure. They pushed their way through a group of guys wearing red and white baseball uniforms near the hall closet. Mr. Rogers noticed them all, with pinched lips and darting glances. Ricky led him into the library and stopped short when he saw Chad setting up a cot next to his father’s collection of rare dictionaries. Ricky smiled at Chad and sent him a complicitous stare. “Could we please have a few minutes alone? We have some important business to discuss.” Though he wanted to fall across the desk and stop breathing, he forced himself to remain calm and cool, hoping to put Mr. Rogers at ease. How could he have forgotten about this interview? Chad tilted his head. “I was just getting things ready. We’ll need another room for clients.” Ricky clenched his teeth. He smiled with pinched lips. “Not now, Chad, please.” Chad shrugged and walked to the door. “I’ll see you later, Ricky.” When Chad was gone, Ricky gestured to a club chair beside the fireplace and he sat down on a small settee across from the chair. With the library door closed, it was quieter than Ricky had imagined it would be. He smiled at Mr. Rogers and folded his hands on his lap. Mr. Rogers probably hadn’t heard about his suspension yet, or about his being kicked out of the entrepreneurial project. Ricky wasn’t going to mention them. He was hoping that maybe if he was accepted into this Ivy League school fast, the incident with Nurse Cunt wouldn’t matter. He

knew people were rejected from colleges all the time. But he’d never heard of a college accepting someone, then rescinding the offer a month later. Mr. Rogers opened his briefcase, set it on his lap, and pulled out Ricky’s file. As he looked over the information, he made small talk about the weather and Ricky’s general plans for the future. He spoke with a calm, gentle tone that almost sounded glum. He remained neutral, without offering Ricky any signs one way or the other. Ricky looked him in the eye like he’d been told to do by his school counselor. He smiled and kept his voice as animated and positive as possible. When he told Mr. Rogers he wanted to major in business and his favorite extracurricular activity in school was the entrepreneurial project, Mr. Rogers just stared down at the papers on his lap and nodded. Ricky moved to the edge of the settee and said his ultimate goal was to become CEO of a large company, but that he was interested in studying law, too. He tried to sound eager, but not unrealistic. When Mr. Rogers finally did look up at him, he smiled without showing his teeth. “I’ve been going over your records with great care, Ricky. You have good grades and a nice record in general.” Ricky smiled. This sounded more like good news than bad. Then the door opened wide and Chad walked in with another cot. “I’ll be out of here in a second,” Chad said. Mr. Rogers lowered the papers and stared at Chad with a deadpan face. Ricky’s head dropped and he rubbed his eyes. “I told you we need privacy. Could we please have a few more minutes alone?” His voice remained friendly, but with an edge so Chad would get the message. While Chad lingered, setting the cot next to a tall bookcase, Mr. Rogers flipped a few papers in the file and began reading off Ricky’s list of accomplishments. He spoke faster now,

and didn’t seem interested in waiting for Chad to leave the room. As he rattled off Ricky’s accomplishments, Chad looked into Ricky’s eyes and listened. Chad even tilted his head and winked at Ricky to offer him moral support. And that was when it occurred to Ricky that he felt more for Chad than just a strong emotional attachment. He cared more about Chad than he cared about getting into an Ivy League college or pleasing his mother and father. He also realized he was in love with Chad, and nothing Mr. Rogers could do, or anyone else could do, would change it. The corners of Ricky’s lips lifted slowly. It was impossible to look at Chad without smiling. When Chad turned and slipped out of the room without, Ricky took a deep breath, sat back, and exhaled so hard the stack of papers Mr. Rogers was holding bristled. “Well, Ricky,” Mr. Rogers said. “You have a fine record. It’s very respectable.” He closed the briefcase and laced his fingers across the top. Ricky’s eyebrows went up and he tilted his head. This sounded good. “But you’re just not Ivy League material, are you?” For a second, Ricky remained silent. He wanted to think before he spoke. Mr. Rogers was rejecting him with the classic approach of turning it all around with a question instead of a statement so Mr. Rogers wouldn’t look like the bad guy. Ricky knew enough to understand this tactical move and he wasn’t going to let Mr. Rogers get away with iteasily— because he suddenly realized being rejected by the Ivy League wasn’t the end of the world at all. He did have an excellent record, he had worked hard all his life, and he still had a future whether he went to an Ivy League school or not. So he reached out and grabbed Mr. Rogers’s knee. He squeezed it tightly, moved forward, and looked into Mr. Rogers’s eyes. He spoke with a low, friendly voice. “You know, Ted, if

there’s one thing I’ve learned over the past few days it’s that sometimes you just have to say ‘kiss my fucking ass’ and move toward the future without looking back. And that’s exactly what I plan to do.” Mr. Rogers’s jaw dropped. “I don’t think I understand.” Then Chad stepped into the room again and asked, “So what happened?” He was rubbing his palms together and his eyes darted between Ricky and Mr. Rogers. Ricky was surprised to see Chad this interested in where he went to school. So he stood from the settee, lifted his arms in the air, and shook his fists. “Looks like I’m going to a good local college in New Jersey instead of an Ivy League school in New England.” Then he crossed the room and kissed Chad on the lips in front of Mr. Rogers, and it wasn’t just a peck on the lips. Ricky put his arms around his man’s shoulders, stuck his tongue into his man’s mouth, and sucked his man’s face without caring whether Mr. Rogers liked it or not.

****

After Ricky left Mr. Rogers alone in the library, he went into the garage to sit alone in the dark, on a stool near his father’s workbench. As far as he was concerned, Ted Rogers could find his own way out. Ricky just wanted to listen to his thoughts and absorb the magnitude of his visit with Mr. Rogers, without any distractions. The most amazing part about what had just happened with Mr. Rogers was Ricky didn’t feel much emotion at all. He wasn’t devastated to the point of panic. His heart wasn’t racing and his stomach wasn’t thumping the way they usually did when something bad happened to him. If he felt any emotion, it leaned more toward relief and self-

actualization than despair and disappointment. The void he’d anticipated wasn’t there. Instead, he felt full and rich and blessed to be alive. When Chad found him there, he frowned and walked over to the work bench. “Your friends are looking for you, Ricky. What are you doing in here?” Ricky smiled when he heard Chad speak his name. No one else in the world said his name the same way Chad did. “I just wanted to have some down time, is all.” His voice remained low, his legs dangled and his feet swung back and forth. “Is that guy from the Ivy League school still here?” Chad nodded. “He’s in the living room, talking to Rocco and Jocko. Last I saw, they were both trying to get him upstairs with a two-for-one special. You should have seen the look on the guy’s face when Rocco said he could bench press Jocko in his underwear up to twenty times without stopping.” Oh, Lord. “He’s with Rocco and Jocko?” Ricky asked. “Rocco and Jocko are very nice guys,” Chad said. “And the guy seems to be enjoying himself.” He moved forward and caressed Ricky’s face. “Everyone is having a good time, except you. I feel bad.” Ricky kissed his palm and smiled. Most guys like Chad would have said they felt badly instead of bad. But not Chad. He seemed to know better. “I don’t think I’m going to say kiss my fucking ass anymore. I’m gonna kill Leyland for starting all this.” He almost laughed. Chad put his arms around him and cradled his head against his warm chest. “It’s all good, Ricky. Look at the positive. You’ve made a fortune in one night, you’re a hero with all your friends, you provided a service that was really needed, and you made your pervert neighbor

happier than he’s ever been. This is one night that a lot of people are going to remember for the rest of their lives.” Chad released his head. He turned and started toward the door. “Best of all, you have a hot boyfriend who is in love with you.” Ricky looked up. “Are you in love with me?”

Before Chad could answer, Leyland

appeared in the doorway and handed him the telephone. “It’s a call for Ricky.” Chad took the phone and pressed it to his stomach so no one could hear them. “Well,” Ricky said. He sat up and squared his shoulders. Whoever was on the phone could wait. “Do you really love me? Are you just playing around with me? Are you with me because I’m willing to do anything you want in bed?” “Don’t be an idiot. What do you think?” “I need to hear you say it.” Chad moved closer. He leaned forward until his lips were less than in inch from Ricky’s. His voice went so soft and low Ricky could hardly hear him. “Yes, I’m playing around. Yes, I’m with you because you rock in bed and will do anything I ask. And yes, most of all, because I love you more than anything or anyone in the universe.” Then he closed his eyes and kissed Ricky on the mouth with such a soft touch Ricky’s entire body started to tingle. As Ricky’s head went back and his legs parted, the phone slipped from Chad’s waist and Ricky heard his father’s voice blaring from the receiver. Ricky bolted upright and grabbed the phone from Chad. He straightened his hair and held the phone to his ear. “Hey, how’s it going, Dad?” he said. “Who answered the phone?” His father asked. “Leyland, Dad,” Ricky said. “I heard noises in the background.”

“I just invited a few friends over to play cards, Dad. The weather’s not too bad here. How’s the weather there?” Chad reached down and slid his hand down Ricky’s back. When he grabbed the top of Ricky’s ass, Ricky bolted upright. He covered the phone, controlled a smile, and mouthed, “Stop doing that. This is my father.” Ricky had a feeling his face was red, and his father wasn’t even in the room. “Are you still there?” his father asked. “Ricky? What’s going on?” “I’m here, Dad. How’s Mom? How’s the trip going?” Smarter to change the subject and get him onto another track. “How many others are there? It sounds like a party.” “Ah well, there’s no party here,” Ricky said. “Only a few friends.” He wasn’t lying. This was a business deal, an operation, not a party. Chad licked his left earlobe, then pushed his knee between Ricky’s legs and moved it up and down Ricky’s crotch. “I don’t remember saying you could have a party, son.” Before Ricky could reply, his mother took the phone and said, “Honey, this is Mom. There’s nothing wrong with having a few friends over. I’m sure they are all very lovely boys. Just use your best judgment and be a dear, okay? We trust you, honey. And no girls in the house, dear. I feel safer knowing you’re with your pals.” Ricky smiled. “No girls, Mom.” If she only knew. Then his mother explained their itinerary once again, and rattled off flight numbers and what time they were coming home. But while Ricky was supposed to be writing down this information, he was too busy undoing his zipper and arching his back so Chad could get into his

pants. Chad was still licking his ear, and Chad had one hand between Ricky’s legs and he was working the other down the back of Ricky’s open pants. By the time Ricky’s mother said goodbye and wished him pleasant dreams, Ricky’s pants were down around his ankles, he was bent over his father’s work bench, and Chad was preparing to mount him right there in the garage.

Chapter Seventeen

At two o’clock on Friday morning, Ricky ran into Mr. Rogers at the bottom of the steps in the front hall. Rocco and Jocko weren’t far behind. Their large feet pounded the treads and their gigantic hands gripped the banister. Ricky stepped back with his palm to his chest as Rocco slapped Mr. Rogers on the back and Jocko said, “We’ll be outside waiting for you, Teddy boy,” with his deep, husky voice. Mr. Rogers was still carrying his briefcase. But his hair was mussed, his jacket and tie were over his arm, and his white shirt was open to his waist, exposing a lean chest and welldefined abs. He sent Ricky a secretive glance and pressed his fingers to his lips. He smiled and said, “I’m taking the boys out for breakfast this morning. Thanks for everything tonight. I’ll see what I can do about getting you admitted, Ricky.” He winked and said, “Guys like us have to stick together, if you know what I mean, buddy.” Then he winked, shook Ricky’s hand, and jogged out the front door with his open shirt flying in all directions to catch up with Rocco and Jocko. Chad sat in the library wrapping paper bellybands around stacks of cash. Each paper band was marked $100 and Ricky couldn’t even see the top of his father’s desk. It was all so professional and businesslike. When Ricky walked in, Chad looked up and smiled. “We had a very profitable night. I’ve already paid everyone off and now I’m dividing the profits between us, Ricky.” He gestured to a chair on the other side of the desk. “Do you want to count it yourself?” Ricky shook his head no and kissed Chad’s forehead. “I trust you,” he said. Then he went back into the hallway to close up the house and make sure no one was upstairs lingering.

The women yawned as they slogged out the door and down the front walk. One tall blonde carried her high heels over her shoulder and walked in her stocking feet. A redhead ripped off her push-up bra and shoved it into a small handbag. When Ricky met up with Leyland in the kitchen, Leyland yawned, stretched his arms, patted Ricky on the back, and said he was going home to sleep for the next twenty-four hours. After he left, Ricky went through the house to turn off all the lights. When he was certain the house was empty, he went back into the library to see Chad. Though the house wasn’t in perfect shape, nothing had been damaged, there was no food lying around because this hadn’t been an actual party, and there weren’t tons of half-filled glasses on the table tops. He’d already planned to have the extra mattresses removed first thing in the morning and he’d have plenty of time to give the house a good going over later that day because of his suspension from school. Chad was packing stacks of cash into a brown paper bag: his cut of the profits. He pointed to another bag on the desk and said, “There’s your cut, Ricky. There should be plenty of money to take care of the car.” Ricky didn’t open the bag; he trusted him completely. He crossed to the desk and asked, “Are you tired?” Though Ricky should have been exhausted, it occurred to him he had enough energy to go out for a long bike ride. “I’m hungry,” Chad said. “Let’s go to a diner.”

****

Ricky only ordered a bagel with cream cheese and a cup of black coffee. But Chad ordered a massive grilled Rueben, a side order of French fries, a milkshake, and a wedge of cheesecake that had to measure three inches at the widest end. While Ricky sat there listening quietly, Chad talked and ate without the slightest hint of self-consciousness. Ricky knew Chad had a good appetite, and he also knew Chad liked to talk a lot, but this was the most animated Ricky had ever seen him. The fact that Ricky wasn’t much of a talker didn’t seem to bother Chad one way or the other. He just trailed on, talking about how successful the night had been, wiping his chin and taking huge bites from his sandwich. When Ricky reached for the check, Chad grabbed his arm and said, “I’ll take this,” with an authoritative, masculine tone. Ricky smiled and lifted his arms in surrender. “Be my guest, big shot.” On the way to the van, Chad ran ahead of Ricky and opened the driver’s door for him. He bowed halfway and said, “After you.” Ricky laughed. “What are you up to?” “I’m not up to anything. I just wanted to be a gentleman and open the door for you.” “Yeah, right. You want something.” Though he hadn’t known Chad long, he knew him well enough to sense something suspicious. “Now that you mention it...” “I knew it.” Chad rested his left elbow on the door frame and his right hand on the roof. He leaned forward and rubbed his jaw. “It’s just that I’ve always wanted to do something and never had the guts to do it.”

Ricky laughed. At this angle, with this lighting, Chad looked so good he didn’t look real. “You never had the guts to do something. I find that hard to believe.” He’d always pictured Chad as the type to just plow forward, doing whatever he wanted without thinking first. “It’s a little kinky.” He shrugged and looked down at the pavement. “It isn’t something you do every day. I’m not even sure I should ask. I don’t want to freak you out or anything.” Ricky’s eyebrows went up. They hadn’t done anything kinky yet in bed. “Howkinky?” He’d read about some of the kink gay men got into, and there were certain things he knew he’d never do. He wasn’t judging anyone; those things just weren’t for him. But he wasn’t opposed to a little harmless kink, depending on what it was. Chad leaned closer and smiled. “I’ve always wanted to have sex on the subway.” “The subway?” Chad nodded. “It’s my only kink,” he said. “It’s an exhibitionist thing with me. I rarely ever do anything exhibitionist, and never on the subway. But I’ve always wanted to do something with the right person. I just never met anyone I trusted enough.” Ricky stared at the steering wheel and considered Chad’s request. As far as kink went, this wasn’t all that bad. In a way, it was a relief to know Chad didn’t want to pee on him or tie him up in chains. Although Ricky had never considered having sex on the subway, he couldn’t deny he’d been very aroused when he’d put on his little show of exhibitionism for his neighbor. So he shoved the key into the ignition and said, “I think there’s subway entrance around the corner from Rocco’s place. We can take a ride before you go home.”

****

Ricky found a parking space on the street about three blocks from Rocco’s building and two blocks from the subway entrance. On the way to the subway, he almost had to run to keep up with Chad’s brisk pace. Chad jogged down the subway stairs so fast he reminded Ricky of those press clips of President Obama jogging down the exit stairs of Air Force One. When the subway pulled up to a stop, Chad placed his palm on the small of Ricky’s back and pushed him into the empty train so hard Ricky almost lost his balance. But Chad caught him before he fell. He wrapped his arms around Ricky’s waist and pulled him into his chest. Then the doors shut with a clank and the subway moved forward with a squeak and a flush of air. When the overhead lights blinked, Chad leaned forward and whispered into his ear. “We’re in luck. This is an express train.” “Huh?” Ricky knew nothing about the New York Subway system. “It means there won’t be too many stops.” Then, without wasting time, he reached down and unfastened Ricky’s pants. “I haven’t been this excited in a long time.” He was already hard, rubbing his crotch against Ricky’s leg as if he were about to give him a personal lap dance. But when Ricky’s pants were down to his knees, he turned sideways and noticed a young man sleeping in the last seat at the other end of the train. Ricky stopped moving and said, “We’re not alone. There’s a guy over there.” He was young, college age. His head was back, his eyes were closed, and his lanky legs dangled over the seat in front of him. He had messy black hair and dark, heavy five o’clock shadow. His black army boots were scuffed and worn, and his dark green army jacket was rumpled and frayed. “He’s sleeping,” Chad said, cupping Ricky’s ass cheeks in his palms. “He’s not even paying attention. He’s probably just some kid from NYU coming home from a beer party and sleeping it off. He’s too stoned to know what’s happening.”

“You don’t mind the train’s not empty?” Chad squeezed his inner thigh and shrugged. “I think it’s hot.” Then he started biting his neck. “I don’t know about this,” Ricky said. He knew he should have pulled up his pants and fastened them. Any sane, normal person would have done that. His teachers in school would have been mortified to see him this way. His mother would have fallen backwards. But when he realized he was still fully erect, all his instincts told him to listen to Chad. Besides, he was with Chad. Nothing bad could happen to him. So he reached and grabbed Chad’s crotch. He squeezed with one hand and pointed to a seat across from where they were standing with the other. “Go over there and sit down. Pull down your zipper and put on a condom. I’ll do this. But we have to make it fast. I don’t want to wind up getting arrested for having sex in public on top of everything else this week.” While Chad settled into the brown vinyl subway seat and unzipped his fly so he could put on a condom, Ricky looked back to see if the young guy at the rear of the train was still sleeping. When Ricky saw his eyes were closed and he hadn’t moved an inch, Ricky removed his shoes and socks and stepped out of his jeans. He decided to keep his jacket and shirt on, just in case. His heart began to pound, and his testicles tightened. His chest was even heaving a little. The train seemed to be moving faster now. They went through a tunnel and the lights went off for a minute. By the time the lights came on, Ricky was facing Chad, sitting on his lap and straddling his hips. He kissed Chad on the lips and placed his palms on Chad’s shoulders. He would surely go to hell for this half-naked stunt on a public subway. If not, he’d wind up in a New York jailhouse for sitting on Chad’s dick. But this didn’t stop him. He spread his legs wide and arched

his back. As he sat down and Chad guided the tip of his erection into his opening, he took another quick look to the back of the train to see if the young guy was still sleeping. The guy hadn’t moved a muscle, so Ricky lowered his body onto Chad’s erection. He went down with care, inching Chad into his body so he’d avoid that initial stab of pain. When his ass was against Chad’s jeans and Chad was all the way inside, he laced his fingers around Chad’s neck and started to ride. There was no pain at all this time, which amazed Ricky. This felt unusually good. Either he was getting used to Chad’s dick or this particular position was extremely accommodating to his body. With each jerk and twist of the subway ride, he went up and down faster. Chad closed his eyes and stretched his legs out. He held the bottom of Ricky’s ass in his palms and groaned with his head tilted sideways and his lips parted. Then they passed through another dark tunnel and the lights went out. Chad moaned a pitch louder and Ricky rode a bounce faster. But when the lights illuminated again and Ricky took a quick look at the other end of the train to see what the young guy was doing, Ricky’s eyes bulged and he stopped moving. The sleeping young guy had moved to the middle of the train. He was leaning back in a vinyl seat with his legs stretched into the aisle. He was exposed and jacking off. He nodded at Ricky and sent him a dangerous smile. He raised his other arm and made a fist of approval, as if he was thanking Ricky for the entertainment. Then he bit his bottom lip and started jacking faster. If this had been someone with a creepy face and missing teeth, Ricky probably would have stopped what he was doing and put on his pants. But this guy was nice looking, and he seemed harmless enough. “What’s wrong?” Chad asked. “Why did you stop? I’m almost there.”

Ricky wasn’t sure how Chad would react to the guy watching them. Ricky knew Chad had a jealous streak and he didn’t want him going off on the guy and starting a fight. Besides, he didn’t want to ruin this experience for Chad. So he repositioned his legs and said, “Nothing. I’m good.” Then Ricky sent the young guy a quick smile and a nod. Chad said, “I’m so close.” His head rocked back and forth against the seat. After that, the faster Ricky rode the more Chad moaned. Chad started slapping Ricky’s ass and moving his legs. So Ricky decided to spice it up a touch for both Chad and the guy who was watching them by removing his sport jacket and his white shirt. He wrangled them from his body and threw them over his shoulder to the subway floor. By the time Ricky was completely naked, the young guy’s face began to contort. Ricky lifted his arms all the way up and sent the guy a seductive glance. He couldn’t believe he was doing this, but it was too late to stop now. The guy’s cheeks flushed and his hips bucked forward. A second after he climaxed, he fell back against the seat with his left palm pressed to his chest. Then Chad clutched the bottom of Ricky’s ass and inhaled. When his legs moved forward, Ricky reached for his own erection so they could climax together. Then he tightened his sphincter muscle and clamped down on Chad as hard as he could. Chad’s hips bucked twice and he grabbed Ricky’s bottom hard. He dug into Ricky’s flesh with his fingers and made a face. As Chad climaxed, Ricky closed his eyes and blasted all over Chad’s shirt. When Ricky looked down, he frowned and said, “I made a mess.” He glanced to the rear of the train. The young guy was still holding himself and he was watching Ricky with a sultry half smile. He was nowhere near as attractive as Chad, but he had a sexy, bookish quality Ricky thought was adorable.

Chad slapped Ricky’s ass a couple of times. He bit his lip and said, “You’d better put your pants on. We’re going to stop soon, and we’ve given that guy back there enough of a free show.” Ricky’s jaw fell. He leaned forward and whispered. “You knew he was watching us and you didn’t say anything?” “I’m not an idiot, Ricky,” Chad said. “You’re not upset?” Ricky asked. “I didn’t say anything because I didn’t want you to get upset.” Chad shrugged. He rubbed Ricky’s ass with gentler strokes and said, “It’s kind of hot. Some guys like to watch, some like to be watched. I know gay couples who do this sort of thing all the time. They’ve been together for years. A lot of my clients are couples who hire me just to watch them. You won’t hear this on Oprah, but it’s actually fairly common.” Then he squeezed Ricky’s ass and said, “Just as long as this guy looks and doesn’t touch, I’m fine with it.” He leaned forward and chewed Ricky’s nipple. “You belong to me and I don’t want anyone else putting their hands on you. Now get up and get dressed. And don’t forget to turn all the way around so he can see what a great ass you have. He wants to watch you get dressed.” Chad was right. When Ricky released Chad from his body and stood up, the guy was still watching. So Ricky turned and dressed slowly, lingering far too long with his shirt and his jacket. When he bent down to pull up his pants, he even spread his legs, arched his back, and wiggled a few times. But by the time he stood up and glanced over his shoulder, the young guy had returned to the last seat in the train and his eyes were closed. When Ricky glanced at Chad, he saw him cleaning his jacket off with paper napkins he’d pilfered from the diner. He didn’t say anything to Chad, but he was still surprised Chad hadn’t

been angry about the guy watching them. He was even more surprised he’d enjoying putting on such a blatant show, and in a subway train of all places. Ricky was learning there were a few things about gay relationships he hadn’t heard about on TV sitcoms or mainstream talk shows.

Chapter Eighteen

Then it was time for Ricky to go back to New Jersey. Chad walked him to the minivan and helped him get inside. While two elderly passersby crossed in front of the van, Chad leaned inside and kissed Ricky on the mouth. He grabbed the back of Ricky’s head and gave him a long, wet kiss with his tongue. Ricky felt awkward about kissing a man out in the open this way. They were on the street, not in a dark subway train, and there were people walking about in different directions. In his suburban town in New Jersey people would have covered their mouths with their hands and glared at him. They would have murmured to each other and pointed. But no one in New York even looked twice. So when a middle-aged man walking a large black dog walked by, Ricky caressed the back of Chad’s head and kissed him on purpose just to see what would happen. The man didn’t flinch or move his head. If he saw them, he didn’t seem to care. He just kept walking an even line, concentrating on the dog galloping in front of him. “I’ll call you later today,” Chad said. He had to go to Rocco’s to take care of his pet iguana. “You sure you can handle everything at your place? The guys will be there around noon to remove all the mattresses from last night.” “I’m good,” Ricky said. “I can handle it.” All he really had to do was straighten up the house and pick up his father’s car from the dealership. And with his school suspension, he’d have plenty of time. Who knew getting suspended could be so stress free? Chad closed the door and tapped the hood. As Ricky took off, he shouted, “I’ll call you later tonight.”

Ricky honked and turned right, heading west so he could get into the Lincoln Tunnel before the morning rush hour got into full swing. The streets in Manhattan were busy, but it was still too early for traffic jams. He drove slowly and paid attention to the road. He hadn’t slept all night and his eyelids were heavy. The sun didn’t actually rise until Ricky exited off Route 80 and turned toward the direction of his neighborhood. He was planning to jump into bed and get a few hours of sleep before the guys came to remove the twin mattresses. After that, he’d spruce up the house and call the airport to see what time his parents were arriving. When he walked through the garage door that led to the kitchen, he noticed an eerie quiet in the house. There wasn’t a clock ticking or an appliance motor turning. He shrugged it off as his imagination and placed his car keys on a hook, then yawned and walked to the front steps. He stretched his arms and yawned again as he passed the living room. But when he reached the bottom of the stairs, he stopped short and took a few steps backward. He peered into the living room and blinked. A rush of panic filled his body and his heart started pounding. There wasn’t stick of furniture left. All the paintings and mirrors had been removed, and the hardwood floors were bare. He ran through the first floor of the house, with his hand pressed to his heart, gaping at empty rooms and naked walls. When he ran upstairs, he found the second floor of the house in the same condition. Even the twin mattresses were gone. He rubbed his jaw and smacked his forehead, wondering what he was going to do now. At the very least, the window treatments were still intact. He couldn’t call the police, so he dialed Rocco’s phone number in New York, hoping Chad would know what to do. He had a feeling Carson the pimp was behind all this. A random robbery would have been too coincidental. Oh, this was bad. His mother and father were due home and Ricky had to get all their belongings back.

The telephone in Rocco’s apartment rang five times. Ricky paced the kitchen until someone finally answered. “Hello?” Ricky hesitated a moment. He’d know Carson the pimp’s voice anywhere: the twang, the nasal tone, and the thick New York accent were unmistakable. Ricky imagined him sitting on Rocco’s leather sofa with his legs crossed and his feet resting on the arm. “Where’s all my furniture?” Ricky asked. His tone was bold and forthright. “Well, well,” Carson said. “If it isn’t my little friend, Ricky Dickey Daley.” “Where’s Chad?” Ricky asked. And how did Carson know his last name? “He’s fine,” Carson said. “We worked things out this morning and he went back to his own apartment. I’m really not such a bad guy, Ricky Dickey. Chad told me he didn’t want to work for me anymore and I let him go. No strings attached. He’s home now, probably sleeping after the workout you two boys had on the subway last night. You’re a naughty boy, Ricky. I heard you put on quite a show for my guy.” Ricky’s stomach tugged. The young guy on the subway last night must have worked for Carson, and he must have been following Ricky and Chad all night. “But Chad is okay?” For a moment, Ricky forgot all about his furniture and his parents. The only thing that mattered was Chad. “Because if he’s not, I’m coming after you. I swear I am.” But his voice cracked; this fake-mean attitude wasn’t even convincing him. “Calm down, Ricky. Chad is fine. I told him he can quit working for me as long as he retires from the business. I just don’t want him taking business away from me, that’s all. If he wants to retire, stop turning tricks, and move on with his life, I’m cool with that.” “Chad wants to retire?” This was news to Ricky. He and Chad hadn’t spoken about the future. Ricky had been wondering where they stood as a couple.

“Says he’s tired of all this,” Carson said. “And I’ll bet I know why, Ricky. From what I heard, you know how to take good care of a man. From what I’m told, you have a sweet little ass. I heard Chad’s mouth was hanging open by the time you lifted your pretty legs up and got off his lap. I knew you were a dirty boy, Ricky. I could sense it. If you’re ever interested in working for me, I’d take good care of you. I heard you’re a good little bottom. Of course I’d have to try you out for myself first to see if you’re really that good. I got a nice big one, Ricky. Bigger than Chad. I’d make you feel real good, Ricky baby.” Ricky clenched his fist and said, “Listen to me, pal. I just want my furniture back. And I want it back today, you fucking sleaze ball.” The thought of sleeping with Carson made his stomach churn. Click. So Ricky dialed again. When Carson answered this time he said, “You’re not playing nice, Ricky. You stole my best girls last night, took money out of my pocket, and now you’re going to have to pay for it, and not with your hot little ass.” Ricky had had enough. He gritted his teeth and started to shout. “I want my fucking furniture back, asshole.” Click. This time when Ricky dialed, he took a deep breath and said, “I’m sorry. I just want my furniture back, is all.” He’d do anything. He’d even sleep with him if that’s what it took. Carson hesitated for a second. He started out with a slow, even tone. “That’s much better, Ricky. Now you sound like the smart guy I thought you were.” “I don’t want any trouble. I just want my furniture back.”

Carson started to shout. “Do you know how fucking lucky you are? For what you did to me, I should have taken your fucking arms, your fucking legs, and your fucking head instead of your furniture. Do you know what I could have done to you, Ricky?” He was screaming so loud Ricky had to hold the phone away from his ear. “Yes,” Ricky said. “I know what you could have done. I’m lucky.” He spoke with a low, apologetic tone now, hoping to calm him down and pacify him. He figured he’d better be nice, otherwise he’d never see his furniture again. “How can I get my furniture back?” “Now that’s much better, Ricky,” Carson said. “I like you. You know that. I think we can work out an arrangement that will suit us both. What do you think, Ricky?” Ricky sighed. “I’ll do whatever you want.” He knew he didn’t have any options. There were certain things he’d learned this past week. One, you don’t grab Nurse Cunt by the collar. Two, you don’t piss off a pimp.

****

At noon, Ricky jogged all the way down to the car dealership and picked up the Porsche. To look at the car, no one would ever have guessed it had gone off the dock and landed hood first in the lake. He paid the service manager in cash, fifties and hundreds, then went outside. When he clicked the locks, his hands shook, and when he drove the car back to the house, he hugged the curb and never left second gear. Old women on the sidewalk passed him by on the right. Little kids on tricycles forged ahead of him on the left. Ricky didn’t care how many other cars honked or how many middle fingers the other drivers gave him. He gripped the steering wheel with both hands so hard his fingers went numb. He sat hunched over and never removed

his eyes from the road once. He didn’t take a complete breath until the car was safely parked in the garage and the keys were hanging on the hook in the kitchen. At two o’clock that afternoon, a moving van with those irritating beeping sounds backed up in his driveway. Two guys jumped out of the cab and opened the rear door of the van. Ricky noticed one of them was the young guy with dark hair who had watched him on the subway. As the young guy helped push the door open, he smiled at Ricky and licked his lips. Then he nodded to the other guy and said, “He’s the one I told you about. Hot little ass. Loves dick.” The other guy, larger and beefier, sent Ricky a naughty glance and bit his lip. Ricky ignored them both though, deep down, he couldn’t deny a small part of him enjoyed the attention. But when Ricky looked inside the truck, his face fell. Carson the pimp was lounging on his mother’s sofa smoking a cigarette. He scratched his dick and blew a stream of smoke in Ricky’s direction. Then he smiled at Ricky and said, “Let’s get to work, Ricky. I don’t have all afternoon.” “What do you want?” If there was a God, Ricky wouldn’t have to sleep with him. Carson stood up and scratched his dick again. “I could ask you to take off your pants and get inside with me. I could ask you to spread those pretty legs and ride me the same way you rode Chad. I could even ask you to wrap those pretty lips around my cock and suck me off. There are many things I’d like you to do for me, Ricky Dickey Daley.” Ricky gulped. “But I have an idea you might like better.” Getting back the furniture was almost like going to an auction, only Ricky was the only one bidding, and he was bidding on his own furniture, paying for it with the money he’d made the previous night with Chad. Carson would hold up a lamp or point to a chair and say, “How

much is this fine piece worth to you, Ricky?” and Ricky would name a price and hand Carson a stack of cash. By the time the moving van was empty and all of Ricky’s furniture was out on the front lawn, Ricky had fifty dollars left in his hand. Carson smiled and walked up behind him. He pulled the fifty-dollar bill out of Ricky’s hand and said, “I can use this for tolls.” Then he reached down and patted Ricky on the ass. “If you change your mind about working for me, Ricky, let me know. I could make you very happy and very rich. I have clients who would pay double for an ass like that.” He turned to the other two guys and asked, “Am I right, boys?” “I’d fuck him,” the beefy guy said, looking down between Ricky’s legs. “I’d fucking bend him in half,” the younger one shouted. Ricky frowned and looked down at his shoes. Although this was one of those compliments Ricky could have lived without, he wasn’t totally offended. “Ah well, no thanks, Carson.” Carson shrugged and walked back to the truck. “Too bad, kid.” He turned, faced Ricky, and grabbed his crotch. “You don’t know what you’re missing.” Then he laughed with a highpitched cackle and jumped into the truck. When they were gone, Ricky didn’t waste a minute lugging the furniture into the house. He called Leyland and Glen, told them he needed their help, and asked if they’d cut school early to help put the furniture back. Ricky’s adrenaline was pumping and his heart was racing. By the time Leyland and Glen arrived, he’d already taken all the smaller pieces he could carry alone into the house and set them up. The boys worked fast, without stopping once for a break. Glen was stronger than Ricky and Leyland. They marveled at the way Glen’s large football player arms could lift and carry wing chairs without even breaking a sweat. Leyland poked Ricky in the ribs when Glen lifted the

grandfather clock all alone and carried it into the front hall. When the clock went up, Glen’s biceps bulged and his pants gathered up on his groin. Leyland started licking his lips and rubbing his palms. But Ricky smacked him in the back of the head and gave him a look. This was no time to joke about men. They had to get this house back together. When Leyland placed the last piece of porcelain in the dining room china closet and Glen tossed a few throw pillows on the living room sofa, Ricky thanked them and told them to leave. When they headed down the front walk, Ricky was still holding his mother’s hand-blown crystal putto in his arms and he still had to call the airport to find out what time his parents were arriving. But as he placed the putto back on the mantel where it belonged, he heard the front door click open, then heard his father call his name. He crossed into the hall and greeted them with a surprised glare. “I thought you were arriving tomorrow. What are you doing here now?” He sent them a casual smile; his tone remained calm and even. His mother sighed. “I distinctly told you we were arriving today.” She seemed to be in a mood. She dropped her suitcase and kicked it into the wall with a fawn pump. “It’s no big thing,” his father said. “We took a taxi. It’s good to be home.” He placed his luggage at the foot of the stairs and patted Ricky on the back. “Anything unusual happen while we were gone?” Ricky smiled and shook his head. “Nope. Just the same old routine.” Ricky’s mother placed her jacket on a chair in the hallway and walked into the living room to inspect things. While Ricky’s father was telling him about the flight home, his mother went up to the mantel and examined her putto. Her jaw dropped and she leaned in closer. Then she lifted the putto from the platform and carried it into the hallway.

“What happened to my precious putto, Ricky?” she asked. Ricky’s face went blank and he shrugged. He gazed down at the glass angel in her palms and said, “Looks okay to me.” This couldn’t be happening, not after all he’d been through that week. The fucking putto looked fine to him. Had the woman gone loony? She pointed to the angel’s chest. “There’s a small crack inside. I can see it plain as day. My putto has been disfigured.” “What happened to it, Ricky?” his father asked. He frowned and rubbed his jaw in exasperation. “I don’t know,” Ricky said. He couldn’t see a crack or disfigurement anywhere. She handed the putto to Ricky’s father. She clucked and shook her heard. “I’m very disappointed in you, Ricky. You’ve been playing with my putto and you’ve ruined it.” Ricky remained blank, wondering if she knew how foolish she sounded. Chad was right. It really did sound as if she was talking about her pussy. He took a quick breath and gazed down at the floor, trying not to smile. “I’m sorry.” “It’s okay,” his father said. “We’ll get a new one. Ricky will pay for it.” “I’ll get a new one and pay for it,” Ricky said. He sent his mother a sincere glance. His mother lifted a suitcase and headed for the stairs. She wasn’t buying his promise. “And just how will you pay for it? My putto is worth a small fortune. You don’t find a putto like this just anywhere. It’s not like you can just walk into any old department store and ask the salesclerk about a putto like mine.” Ricky tried hard to remain blank. But when his mother asked how he’d pay for it, he remembered what Carson had said earlier that afternoon. He imagined himself naked, while he posed in front of a group of good-looking men and Carson tossed hundred-dollar bills at him. He

pictured Carson’s good-looking young helper pulling down his pants and mounting him from behind while the beefy one pulled down his zipper and stood in front of his face. Behind him stood ten more guys waiting in line. Ricky almost smiled; he almost got an erection. His lips parted and the right corner of his mouth lifted. His father saved him by saying, “He’ll pay for it by doing yard work.” Then he patted Ricky on the back and said, “Your mother will be okay. I’ll take care of her putto. Now you go outside and work on the yard. I saw some leaves out back as the cab pulled up to the house.”

****

Ricky worked outside for the rest of the afternoon. With each leaf he raked, he went over the events he’d experienced that week. Though his life could have been ruined more than once, he’d managed to solve each problem and come out on top, so to speak. Though he wasn’t going to an Ivy League school, he felt a sense of empowerment he’d never experienced before. When he thought about everything he’d done with Chad, especially the scene on the subway, he became so lightheaded he almost tripped over a rock and went face first into the pachysandra patch on the far side of the pool. By the time he was finished raking, he walked to the garden shed so he could put the tools away like his father had taught him. Ricky’s father had always told him there was a place for everything and everything had its place. Ricky didn’t want to piss his father off, so he made sure he hung the rake on the proper hook, between the hoe and the beveled snow shovel. He placed the green trash can on the right, across from the brown trash cans his father used for trash pickup. The green can was only for yard work, not refuse. A mistake like that could cost Ricky.

But when he shut the garden shed door, his father was standing to his right. He was looking down at Ricky and frowning. He rubbed his jaw and said, “Is there something that happened this week we have to talk about?” Ricky’s body froze. “Nothing I can think of, Dad.” His face felt hot and his knees became wobbly. Maybe his father had checked out the Porsche and found something wrong. Maybe there was a dead fish in the backseat, or a lump of seaweed next to the gear shift. Ricky had done so many things that week he couldn’t even begin to pinpoint exactly what his father was talking about. So he just shrugged and smiled, hoping for the best. “I just got off the phone with Ted Rogers,” his father said. He was still frowning. Ricky gulped. Ah well, Ted Rogers from the Ivy League school. “Ted just said, ‘I think Ricky is the kind of man we need at our school.’ He also told me he hasn’t been this impressed or excited about an incoming student in a long time.” Ricky blinked. “They accepted me? Ted Rogers wants me there?” Now he really felt lightheaded. “Not only that, but Ted has decided to waive everything else. You’re in, right now, without any additional SAT scores or grades. Ricky, this guy was almost gushing into the phone. He’s desperate to have you.” “This is unbelievable,” Ricky said, with his voice trailing off. He wasn’t pretending either. Evidently, Ted Rogers had been more than impressed with the events of that night, including Rocco and Jocko no doubt. Ted hadn’t been joking around when he’d told Ricky men like them had to stick together. But more than that, this was the first time in Ricky’s life when he realized how gay men stick together and help each other out whenever necessary. Ricky felt privileged,

as if he’d not only been accepted into an Ivy League school, but also accepted into a secret society of people who were always looking out for each other. His father put his arm around him and kissed him on the cheek. “I’m proud of you. I knew you’d get into the right school, Ricky. I knew this interview would cinch the deal. It’s like I’ve been telling you all along. Sometimes you just have to relax, be yourself, and say kiss my butt.”

Chapter Nineteen

On Sunday, Ricky met Chad at a restaurant in New York for brunch. Chad said he wanted to get together with Ricky in a real restaurant in broad daylight, so they could have a real date like normal people. He said he wanted to start a new chapter in their lives; he spoke about hope and promise and spending more time together. Though they hadn’t been apart for any length of time, they’d spoken every night on the phone since they’d last seen each other. For Ricky, a second without Chad felt like a lifetime. When he closed his eyes at night, he tried to pretend Chad’s hairy legs were wrapped around his smooth legs and Chad’s erection was poking the side of his body. And Chad told Ricky he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. He said he couldn’t sleep or eat. He missed holding Ricky so much he even coaxed Ricky into talking dirty so they could have phone sex together before they hung up and went to sleep. The phone sex made Ricky laugh. They used trite expressions pilfered from bad porn films. Ricky referred to Chad’s dick as a dangerous, throbbing monster. When he told Chad he couldn’t wait to drain his come sacks, Ricky nearly fell off the bed laughing. When Ricky drove into New York on Sunday, he blasted the radio and smiled. After he parked, he walked down the street with a bounce in his step and nodded at passersby. He wore his brown tweed sport jacket, a crisp white shirt, and jeans to the restaurant. When the waiter led him to a table for two in the back, Chad stood and set his napkin on the table. Chad wore his black cashmere sport jacket, the one he’d worn the first night Ricky had met him, and a white dress shirt with a wide, open collar. He remained standing until Ricky sat down first.

After the waiter placed their orders in front of them, Chad started talking about how much fun he’d had working with Ricky. He said he’d expected to make money, but never that much money. Then Ricky smiled and looked into Chad’s eyes. “I have to ask you something.” His expression turned serious and his voice grew deeper. “Were you being honest when you said you thought you loved me, or were you just working me?” He knew he was blunt, and it might not have been the right time or place to ask this question, but he had to know. Ricky now realized he was in love with Chad. He hadn’t been sure at first; he’d never experienced this kind of love with anyone else. All he knew was that when he thought about Chad, he felt a clutch in his stomach that made him feel different than he’d ever felt before. When he was with Chad, the world seemed like a much nicer place. Chad lowered his fork and gazed into Ricky’s eyes. He sat back and his chair and tilted his head to the right. He nodded first, then said, “I do love you. I don’t just think I love you anymore. And I think we’re good together.” Ricky smiled. “I love you, too. Being without you these past few days made me realize how I feel about you.” “What do we do about it?” “I’m not sure,” Ricky said. “I heard you quit working for Carson. Did you do that for me?” They hadn’t discussed this on the phone. Ricky wanted to wait until they saw each other in person. Chad nodded. “I did it for you and for me, Ricky. I’ve been wanting to quit for a long time. You gave me the inspiration, I guess. After I met you, it didn’t feel right.”

This made Ricky smile even wider. He wasn’t sure how he would have reacted, or if he would have been able to take Chad seriously, if Chad had remained working as an escort. “I think there are a million things you’d be good at doing. You’re a smart guy.” “But you’re biased,” Chad said. “I’m not sure I can take your opinion seriously.” Ricky leaned forward and reached for Chad’s hand. He didn’t care who was watching. He held it tightly and looked into his eyes. “I am biased. You can’t blame me.” “Why is that?” “Because I’m in love with the best-looking, smartest, strongest guy in the world.” Ricky meant it from the bottom of his soul. He wasn’t just stroking Chad’s ego. “I think we’re both going to be very successful.” Chad leaned forward. Their faces were almost touching. “I think so, too.” “When I go away to school, we won’t be able to see each other as often,” Ricky said. He was fishing now. He’d told Chad about being accepted into the Ivy League school, and Chad had congratulated him. But he hadn’t said much about them being apart for any length of time. Ricky looked down at the table and pouted. “If two people are in love, they shouldn’t be apart for long stretches of time.” Chad wiped his lips and shrugged. “They say absence makes the heart grow fonder, pardon the cliché.” “Fuck that,” Ricky said. He sat up and squared his shoulders, wondering why Chad wasn’t concerned about being separated. The thought of a separation made his stomach ache. “Calm down, Ricky,” Chad said. “I’ve already thought about this. There’s no way I’m getting into an Ivy League school. But I’ve been checking out other colleges near where you’re

going to be and I’ve been thinking about moving up there and taking a few courses in criminal justice.” “Criminal justice?” You could have knocked Ricky over with a feather. Chad shrugged. “I’ve always been interested in criminal justice. I don’t know if I have what it takes to be a lawyer. But I could be a cop.” “As long as we’re together, you can do anything you want to do.” Then Ricky asked, “Are you serious about moving to New England or are you just playing with me?” He wanted to be sure he’d heard right. Chad shrugged and looked down at his plate with an innocent face. “Yeah, I’d like to be near you. I want us to be together.”

****

After lunch, they spent the rest of the day walking around New York. It was bright and sunny, not too warm yet and not a hint of humidity in the air. They walked up and down side streets gazing into windows. They held hands for a little while. Then, on Fifth Avenue, Chad put his arm around Ricky’s shoulders and Ricky put his arm around Chad’s waist. Ricky couldn’t help thinking about his entrepreneurial project, the one he’d been kicked out of because he’d yanked Nurse Cunt by the collar. Here he was walking around New York, with a man’s arm around his shoulders, while his other classmates were back in New Jersey wading through a long, dreary lecture by blank-faced teacher in charge of a project he didn’t know the first thing about. The poor things were plotting their hapless little businesses and hoping to make a profit. Some were selling crafty homemade decorative planters and hoping to

make a five-hundred-dollar profit. Another group was marketing and selling flameless candles and hoping to make an eight-hundred-dollar profit. Even though he’d been kicked out of the entrepreneurial project, it made Ricky smile. Ricky had already made more money in just one night than his business teacher or his classmates would make in an entire year with their little projects. He’d grossed over sixty thousand dollars, thanks to Chad’s idea. When it had all been divided up, he’d collected almost thirty thousand for himself. But more than that, he’d had better sex in one week than most people have in one lifetime. And he’d gained more self-confidence than most people his age could hope to gain in a year. Ricky and Chad wound up in Central Park, near a bridge that overlooked a small body of water. It was dark by then and they were still holding hands. When they walked beneath the bridge and reached the middle, Chad grabbed Ricky by the waist and pushed him into the cobblestone wall. Chad put his arms around him and kissed him on the mouth. A guy jogging slowed down and gaped as Chad unbuckled Ricky’s pants and slid his hands inside so he could grab Ricky’s ass. Ricky didn’t care. He arched his back and rested his palms on Chad’s shoulders, allowing his pants to drop below his waist. “I thought we were going for ice cream,” he said. “I should have known better than to trust you. You always have an ulterior motive.” “I’m horny,” Chad said, running his hands up the back of Ricky’s shirt. “You’re always horny.” He bit Ricky’s neck. “Should I stop?” Ricky reached down and grabbed Chad. He squeezed the bulge in Chad’s pants; a guy on a bike slowed down to see what they were doing. “Do you have a condom?” Ricky asked. “Three in my back pocket just for you.”

When the guy on the bike stopped and started edging toward them, Chad took Ricky’s hand and they walked out from under the bridge. He pulled Ricky into a cluster of bushes on the other side of the bridge where it was dark and private. He put his arms around him again and kissed him so hard Ricky almost lost his footing and fell backwards into the water. Ricky’s pants were down around his knees by then. He didn’t care; he knew they were alone. When they stopped kissing, he caressed the back of Chad’s head and told him to put on the condom. Chad had one hand between Ricky’s shoulder blades and the other pressed to the small of Ricky’s back. He didn’t reach for the condom immediately. His chest was heaving and he couldn’t catch his breath. So Ricky leaned into Chad’s warm body and ran his fingers up through Chad’s thick black hair. He whispered about how much he loved Chad and how perfect he thought Chad was. Chad’s hands went up and down his naked back. Ricky rambled on, taking quick pauses to catch his breath. Ricky said he wanted to introduce Chad to his parents. He told Chad he wanted him at his graduation, sitting in the front row with his mother and father. Ricky wanted to exchange rings and he wanted to go to the movies with Chad on a Friday night. Then he promised Chad that if anyone even so much as looked at him sideways, including his mother and father, he’d fix it so they’d never make that mistake again. When Chad began to unbutton his Ricky’s shirt, Ricky was still talking. He leaned back and said he was tired of sneaking around. He was proud of who he was, he was proud of the man he was with, and he wanted the entire world to know it. And when Chad removed Ricky’s shirt and jacket at the same time and let them drop to the ground, and caressed the right side of Ricky’s face, he said he was ready and willing to do anything, as long as it would make Ricky happy.

THE END