Tangled Web

Tangled Web By Terry O’Reilly

Published by JMS Books LLC Visit jms-books.com for more information.

Copyright 2011 Terry O’Reilly ISBN 978-1-61152-181-8

Cover Photo Credit: Dunca Daniel Used under a Standard Royalty-Free License. Cover Design: J.M. Snyder All Rights Reserved WARNING: This book is not transferable. It is for your own personal use. If it is sold, shared, or given away, it is an infringement of the copyright of this work and violators will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. No portion of this book may be transmitted or reproduced in any form, or by any means, without permission in writing from the publisher, with the exception of brief excerpts used for the purposes of review. This book is for ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY. It contains substantial sexually explicit scenes and graphic language which may be considered offensive by some readers. Please store your files where they cannot be accessed by minors. This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are solely the product of the author’s imagination and/or are used fictitiously, though reference may be made to actual historical events or existing locations. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. Published in the United States of America. NOTE: This e-book was previously published by Aspen Mountain Press. ****

Tangled Web By Terry O’Reilly Kevin Baker sat at his desk in the Third Street Bank and Trust. Anxious about the time, he surreptitiously checked his watch as his secretary droned on with the review of that day’s accomplishments. It was 4:46 P.M. Fourteen more minutes. Please don’t let any last minute drama come busting through that door, Kevin thought. I wanta get to the gym. I gotta see him again. The ‘him’ was a six foot something hunk of a bear—as the personals would describe him—who had captivated Kevin’s attention at the local gym for the previous three weeks. He didn’t come to the gym every day, but came often enough that Kevin was always looking for him, always hoping he would show up. The guy was husky and handsome. His head was shaved; he had hoops in both ears and a tattoo of a leopard on his upper left arm. Kevin guessed he had blue eyes. He had never been close enough to make sure. The one time Kevin had been close, on opposite sides of a rower they both were heading to use, he had been so flabbergasted that he didn’t look directly at the man. Kevin was sure the guy had a salt and pepper Van Dyke. Kevin figured the man was in his forties, maybe fifty. That made Kevin feel good because he was fifty-five. Well, okay, fifty-eight, but Kevin thought he looked fifty-five, so that was what he put in his personal on the Older 4 Me website. Kevin had had few hits to his ad. He figured it was because he’d been honest and included the information that he was married. The few guys who had responded were in the same situation as Kevin. But no one turned him on like the man at the gym. “Mr. Baker?” “Yes, Marianne?” “I said, what do you want me to do about the Johnson application for a small business loan? They’ve called three times and need—” “Oh…yes…I’ll call them in the morning. I…” Kevin

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checked his watch again, 5:05… “ I have an important…ah… meeting to get to.” “All right,” she sighed, “but please call them. They’re getting on my nerves.” “I will. Don’t worry.” Johnson, Shonson. It’s five and I’m outta here, he thought. Marianne gathered her notes and left the office. Kevin looked over the papers on his desk one last time and went into his private bathroom to get ready to go. He pissed and stepped to the sink to wash his hands. Gazing at his reflection he assessed himself for the umpteenth time that day. He stood just under six feet, weighed about one-hundredseventy-five and could be considered well-built. He didn’t have the genes of a body builder, although he had aspired to that for as long as he could remember, but his regular workouts had produced good muscle tone and he was well proportioned. He flexed his chest muscles and pulled in his belly. Yeah, I’m reasonably attractive. His dream man did have those genes. He had a massive chest and arms as big as Kevin’s thighs. Dream Man’s belly protruded, but Kevin had no objection to that. In fact, Kevin found a round, firm, domed belly as much of a turn on as a six-pack. The guy’s waist was slim, his back tapering in a perfect ‘v’ and his butt…oh, man…his butt. It was round and firm and about as perfect as you could get. It filled out those shorts, from which extended fantastic tree trunk legs, to the point of premature ejaculation just from thinking about it. Kevin had never caught him naked in the locker area or showers and that was his main objective: he wanted to see what was under the shorts and sleeveless sweats the guy always wore. Kevin checked his reflection one last time—smoothing his thinning brown hair and grinning at the image of the slight tent of his trousers in the mirror. Just thinking about Dream Man made things happen. One last look and Kevin picked up his gym bag and headed for the door. A thought struck him: his wedding band. He looked down at the plain, gold ring. He thought of the lack of hits on his personal ad. With a pang of remorse, Kevin removed it

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from his finger and put it in his pocket. He closed the bathroom door behind him and crossed the room to the outer office. The phone rang. “Holy Shit! Not now!” “Yes?” “Mr. Baker, I’m sorry, but I’m glad I caught you. It’s Mr. Johnson. I tried to put him off, but then he asked to speak to Mr. Wallace.” Marianne sounded apologetic. She was a good secretary. She was looking out for Kevin’s ass. Mr. Wallace was the bank president. “That’s okay, Marianne, thanks for running interference. Put Johnson on.” For the next fifteen minutes Kevin schmoozed Mr. Johnson, assuring him the approval for his loan was a mere formality. Johnson seemed appeased and Kevin could get on to the important business of the evening. As he hung up the receiver he offered a quick prayer to Saints Serguis and Bacchus, two saints of the church purported to be gay, for protection from all further interruptions to his quest, then felt another pang of guilt, this time for praying for sexual favors. Kevin left the office, passing Marianne at her desk. He thanked her again for her attention to detail in saving him the embarrassment of having to explain to the president of the bank his reluctance to deal with a customer. Kevin crossed the street in the middle of the block and almost sprinted to his SUV in the parking garage. **** Kevin walked up to the gym’s reception desk. He showed his credentials to the handsome young man seated behind the desk. Often he would talk to Denny, the young Adonis, secretly admiring the well developed chest and deltoids displayed so well in his skintight Under Armour top. Some of the comments Denny made caused Kevin to suspect the guy was gay. However, today Kevin wanted to get to the lockers and see if Dream Man was in the gym. Trying to be as polite as he could, Kevin cut the conversation short and headed through the door marked "Men".

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Once inside the well-kept locker room, Kevin checked out every aisle. There were a few members in each in various stages of undress. He nodded to some he knew or had seen in the gym before and made his way to the end of an almost empty row. He had the feeling today was going to be another disappointment. Damn that phone! Changing into his jock, shorts, tank top and gym shoes, Kevin made his way to the towel window and picked up a large, fluffy towel with the name of the gym inscribed on it. He walked down the hall, past the scales and showers, turned right and went through the double doors into the main gym. There he was greeted by a cacophony of sounds: clanging of weight machines, pounding of feet on treadmills, voices from the TV sets above them, and of course, grunts and groans of the men and women striving for health and/or physical perfection. Kevin wandered around the exercise floor for a few minutes and came to the conclusion Dream Man wasn't there. He sighed and started to get down working on his program. Kevin quickly became frustrated, as the gym was more crowded than usual. Thursday night. Everyone trying to get a pump for the weekend, he thought. He couldn’t do his circuit-training program, which took care of both cardio and muscle building. With so many people there he couldn’t move from machine to machine fast enough. Deciding to work on free weights, Kevin thought he'd hit the steppers or treadmills later, when the crowd thinned. The lone station that was open was the bench press. “Fuck!” he muttered under his breath. Someone had left the bar on the rack with four hundred and fifty pounds of weight, with each disk weighing 75 pounds. Kevin surveyed the situation with his hands on his hips. “Need some help with that?” A deep baritone voice sounded behind him. Kevin whirled around and came nose to chest with Dream Man, so close he could feel the heat radiating from his body. As Kevin looked up into the steel blue eyes, ah, they are blue, the man said, “Hate it when some jerk does that.” Kevin was first struck dumb by the exhilaration of being in

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such close proximity to the hunk, within inches of the thick, golden hair curling around the neck of the sweatshirt, the prominent nipples straining against the fabric. Then he was embarrassed to think the guy thought he was too puny to tackle adjusting the weights by himself. “You take this side,” Dream Man said, walking to the other side of the bar. “On three. One, two…” Kevin realized just in time that Mr. Muscles did not think him puny, but was offering to help him readjust the weight by keeping the bar balanced. “Three!” Kevin and Dream Man each removed a 75 pound steel plate. “What weight?” “One-fifty,” Kevin lied. This was 25 pounds heavier than he normally used, but… They each removed one more plate. “You need a spot?” “Yeah…that’d be great.” Kevin couldn’t believe it. Dream Man was going to spot him while he lifted. Kevin lay down on his back on the bench. The hunk stood behind the bench, legs spread, just inches from the top of Kevin’s head. Kevin could feel the blood rushing to his groin. As he lay looking up at the bar and the bulging crotch just inches away, Kevin felt like he couldn’t breathe. He was glad he was wearing a jock. Somehow he was able to complete three sets of twelve with a weight 25 pounds heavier than usual. “Nice job, man.” The deep voice boomed out. “Thanks…uh?” “Jake, name’s Jake.” Dream Man stuck out his hand. Kevin grabbed it as he was pulled upright from the bench. “Kevin, Kevin Baker.” Kevin winced. In his enthusiasm for being so near Jake, he’d given his real name. He always made up a name with his sex partners. Then he realized what he had just thought. This guy was no sex partner…just a workout buddy…if even that. “Well, nice job, Kevin Baker. Give a holler if you need a spot again.” “Yeah, thanks, I will.” Kevin watched as the most beautiful

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buns in the world undulated away. He took a deep breath and rearranged himself in his jockstrap. For the rest of the evening Kevin tried to position himself near where Jake was working out. He noticed the big man was friendly with almost everyone. This bothered him for some reason. Every now and then Kevin would make eye contact with Jake. When that happened the man smiled and nodded. Twice he gave Kevin the thumbs up. Each time Kevin’s heart rate sped up and his groin tightened. After about an hour of heavy workout, Jake disappeared into the locker room. Kevin finished up the set he was doing and hurried after him. Kevin checked every aisle, but was bewildered. Jake seemed to have vanished. Deflated, Kevin walked to his locker, stripped and deposited his sweaty towel in the barrel. Wrapping a clean towel around his waist, he headed for the sauna. To Kevin’s surprise the dry heat room was empty. So many people in the gym and here the room is empty. He climbed to the top bench and sat with his back against the wall, closed his eyes and let the heat do its magic. He heard the door open, felt a brief waft of cool air. He opened his eyes and saw to his delight Jake had entered. Jake’s towel wasn’t wrapped around his waist, oh no. It was slung over one massive shoulder, allowing a gorgeous, thick cut cock at about half-mast to be displayed in all its glory. Kevin calculated: six and a half, seven hard, definite upward curve. His own cock responded in record time. He adjusted the towel around himself. Jake looked up, saw Kevin, smiled, and took the benches two at a time. “Mind if I join you?” Before Kevin had time to respond, the man of his fantasies for the last three weeks was sitting naked right next to him. All that room in the sauna and Jake sat next to him. What happened next blew Kevin’s mind. Jake spread his legs until his right knee came in contact with Kevin’s left thigh. Kevin’s breath caught in his throat. With his left hand Jake began stroking the crease between his now erect penis and his leg. Kevin stared at the man's cock. Fully erect it resembled a rhino horn in its curve. The exquisite head

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leaked pre-cum. Kevin’s left hand was on the bench between them, next to Jake’s right. Jake extended his right pinky until it came in contact with Kevin’s. Kevin could barely breathe. His dick was throbbing to the beating of his heart. He was about to return the pressure when the door to the sauna opened once more. Two young men came in, laughing and talking. The spell was broken. Jake covered himself with his towel and removed his leg and finger from contact with Kevin. Kevin heard him mutter, “Damn.” In a few minutes several other club members arrived. Jake got up. “See ya,” he said and left. Kevin sat for several minutes, still stunned by the incredible turn of events. Then his brain started to function. Shower! Almost falling down the rows of benches and sweating bodies, he headed for the door. He hurried down the hall and to the showers. There at the far end stood Jake, his head against the wall, water cascading down his glorious body. Kevin couldn’t make himself take a shower close to Jake. He was too afraid he was making a mistake. Instead he stood under the needle spray at the opposite end of the huge shower room. Jake looked up. He gave Kevin a weak smile, waved and was gone. By the time Kevin got out of the shower, Jake had left. “You dumb fuck!” Kevin remonstrated with himself later as he dressed. “You fuckin’ idiot. What more did you need, a fuckin’ engraved invite?” He slammed his fist against the locker door. “What was that?” an older man queried as he came around the corner of the lockers. “Nothing,” Kevin lied. “Just forgot the com.” **** Kevin parked his SUV in the garage and went into the house. “Hi, hon,” said his wife. “Hi,” he replied half-heartedly. “Long day at work? You’re later than usual.”

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God, she knew he was at the gym, not at work. He always went to the gym on Thursday, geez. Kevin repressed his sarcasm. For some reason Gloria’s casual comment irritated him. “No, Gloria, not a long day. Stopped at the gym. It was crowded. Took some extra time.” “Meet anyone interesting?” Kevin froze. “What’s that supposed to mean?” Gloria looked up from the paper she was reading. “Nothing. Just sometimes you tell me about the interesting people you see there, that’s all.” “Oh…sorry. I guess I am a bit over tired.” “Well, I’m going to yoga. You take a shower. Dinner’s in the fridge. Get some rest.” Gloria got up, came around the kitchen table and gave Kevin a kiss. “Maybe you’ll be rested up by the time I get home?” She gave him the look that he knew all too well. It meant she was expecting more than a good night kiss. She smiled and kissed him again. Kevin smiled back, but inside he was moaning. Maybe when you get home, I’ll be sound asleep, he thought. He had enjoyed sex with his wife in the early years, but now…now it was a duty he performed, but not without the aid of some hot fantasies. He loved her. But…well, he loved her. Gloria reached out and took hold of his hands. “Well?” she said, as if waiting for a response to her invitation to intimacy. But, before Kevin could come up with one she said, “Where’s your ring?” “My ring?” Kevin replied. For a minute he couldn’t connect with what she was saying. “Your wedding ring.” Gloria’s voice had a stressed, almost frightened quality. “Oh, yeah…” Kevin thrashed about, trying to find something to say to assure Gloria there was a logical reason why he would remove the symbol of their union. “Ah…I told you the gym was crowded.” “And?” Gloria cocked her head to one side. “Well, I couldn’t use the machines. Had to do free weights.” “So?” “Well, the bars pinch the ring against my skin…” He

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looked at her. Was she buying this? “Well, it hurts.” He admonished himself for sounding like a whiner. “Oh. Where is it now?” “Right here.” He pulled it out of his trouser pocket and replaced it on his finger. She relaxed and smiled. “Okay, but I don’t want you playing single to try and entice some of those pretty, young workout bunnies at the gym with that hunky body of yours.” She winked and kissed him again. If you only knew, Kevin thought. But he said with mock exasperation, “Gloria, I’m fifty-five for God’s sake.” “You’re fifty-eight, but you know you look forty-eight. My Lord, you spend enough time working out.”. Kevin was relieved, but also flattered at the thought that he might look younger. He knew better, but he liked the thought anyway, even if it was coming from his wife of thirty-some years. “Bye.” Gloria grabbed her purse and headed out the door. Kevin sighed. He had dodged a bullet. He waited until the automatic garage door closed before beginning to prepare for his usual yoga night pastime: jacking off to porn video clips while Gloria saluted the sun. Kevin went into the bedroom and changed from his suit to a pair of soft-cotton plaid pajama bottoms. He chose to remain shirtless, as was his custom for these self- pleasuring sessions. That way he could rub his free hand over his chest and stimulate his nipples. He padded to the bathroom where he kept his stash of Astroglide, retrieved a bottle from the shelf and headed for the computer in the home office. Shaking the mouse to remove the screen saver; he typed in the password to get him to his personal settings and checked his private email account. There were several messages from buddies with whom he corresponded, as well as one new message saying someone had responded to his profile on the personals site on which he had an ad. He went to the site and found that a young married man in a neighboring state had sent him a message. The email said he was into older men and found the picture Kevin had posted hot. Kevin smiled, wrote a quick

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thank you response and added to himself, “Too bad you live so far away. You’re kinda hot yourself. Besides, he silently added as he clicked the link under My Favorites that brought him to his most used porn site, Jake is my focus right now. The site opened and Kevin navigated his way to the movie clip section. There he clicked on ‘Gay’ and settled back in his high backed leather chair, placing the bottle of Astroglide within arms reach. He wished he could pay to become a member of the site and have access to the longer, complete films, but Gloria paid the household bills. Couldn’t very well explain that away when an entry for XXX films appeared on the credit card statement. As it was, Kevin’s computer was set to a program which would allow automatic replay. So, if he found a stimulating scenario, he could watch the short fifteen to thirty second clip over and over without bothering to sit up and restart. Normally he would browse through the many categories of clips, jumping around in amateur, mature, muscle, cops, jocks and cowboys. That night he concentrated his search on bears. Jake was a definite bear and Kevin wanted to be able to superimpose mental images of him on the images of the bears in action. This had been his practice for the past three weeks: ever since he had caught sight of Jake at the gym. Finding a hot sequence of clips involving a burly, closelycropped red-haired man of about forty with a somewhat younger man with less bulk, a smooth body and a moustache, Kevin settled back in the chair and began to massage his cock and balls. The first sequence showed the red haired bear entering a room and walking up to the younger man: taking him in his arms and kissing him with lots of tongue action. Sounds of moaning and smacking emanated from the speakers. The men were clothed, but, for Kevin, this was as stimulating as any scene he could have picked. Kissing was high on his list of ‘things that turn me on,’ he had posted in his personal ad. Kevin allowed this short scene to replay several times as his massages turned to stroking and his penis rose to its full height of close to six inches. With his free hand, he played with

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the thick, dark-brown pubic hair at the base while he thought Jake, yes, Jake. The second sequence had the bear on his knees, swallowing the swollen head of the younger man’s dick, while the latter rubbed his partner’s head with both hands. “Yeah, oh, yeah,” crooned the speakers. The suckee was leaning against a table on which stood a bottle of some sort of liquor and two half full glasses: liquor and sex, a definite turn-on for Kevin. He responded by increasing the pressure on his cock and adding a good amount of lube to the mix. His cock was now engorged and he was getting into the realms where fantasy and reality merged. The next clip had the bear between the smooth man’s legs, looking down into his partner’s eyes with lust and, as Kevin imagined, love. Love was always part of the equation in Kevin’s fantasies. Even on the rare occasions when he was with a man, he always pretended there was love involved. His stroking had increased in speed. He was rubbing his hair-shrouded nipples as the bear’s huge dick head made contact with the sphincter and disappeared within its confines. Shit, that must hurt, thought the voyeur, but the man on the screen was moaning his assent to the invasion of his body. Kevin let the clip replay four times. Screen four showed the red-haired bear pulling out and removing the rubber and jacking his cock. The other man yelled encouragement as he rubbed his hand across his own abdomen that was already covered with cum. “Yeah, fuck, yeah,” moaned the bear as he came close to climax. “Jake, yes Jake,” moaned Kevin, writhing in his chair, pumping his prick in rhythm to the man on the screen. Kevin’s free hand cupped his balls. The scene ended with the eruption as ropes of cum flew from the swollen, red dick of the Jake on the screen to the face and chest of the guy lying beneath him. Kevin let it replay several times. On the fourth replay he allowed himself to ejaculate with the man on the monitor. “Jake, Jake, I love you,” Kevin cried out as three spurts of cum coated his hand and pubes.

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He no longer shot as far as when he was younger, but at that moment he didn’t care. The ecstasy of release and the wonder of the Jake in his mind were all that mattered. He was the man on the floor. Jake had just fucked him. He was in heaven. As the last few dribbles of cum oozed from his softening cock, Kevin watched the clip repeat several more times. His breathing came back to normal. He took a deep breath. “Fuck,” he said out loud. Why the fuck didn’t you go after Jake in the shower and let him know you were interested? That coulda been us tonight, he thought, still watching the bear on the screen cum over and over with roars of pleasure. “Next time,” he said out loud. “Next time I will.” Kevin got up, careful not to let the semen that coated his hand drip on the keyboard or the counter top. He turned off the computer, padded to the bathroom, showered and was in bed before Gloria’s voice came through the haze of near sleep. “Kev? Kev? You awake?” Kevin feigned sleep. He sort of stretched and moaned. Gloria lay down beside him. Kevin took a deep breath as she draped her arm over his chest and snuggled next to him. I’m sorry, honey, he thought. But, despite feeling guilty, Jake was the one on his mind as he drifted off to sleep. * *** It was 5:17 P.M. Tuesday afternoon. Kevin sat at his desk, shuffling papers, drumming his fingers, and watching the colon on his digital desk clock flash off the seconds as he chomped at the bit. He was waiting for Marianne to deliver a stack of papers to be signed: loan approvals, loan declines. He hadn’t been to the gym since the previous Thursday. Hence he hadn't had an opportunity to see Jake and make up for the stupid mistake of not letting him know he was interested in whatever Jake had been proposing in the sauna. Friday morning he had announced to Gloria that he would be going to the gym that afternoon; not a usual Friday practice.

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She had reminded him her parents were flying in from Albuquerque for the weekend and he was to pick them up. She'd been ticked he hadn't remembered that important detail. He'd been so absorbed in his rehearsal of what he would say to Jake, he'd forgotten. He’d apologized, then cursed his luck. The hours of the weekend had dragged. Each had seemed like a day. Even the usual enjoyable Saturday afternoon of college football hadn’t been able to distract him from thoughts about Jake. There had been church on Sunday. That had been the one moment when his determination to seek out Jake had faltered. The priest had given a sermon on how holy discipline could counter ones base instincts. He'd made the analogy of how a well-disciplined dog would resist his instinctive urge to chase a rabbit or squirrel and not run off from his master or drag him down the street. At that point Kevin had felt a surge of guilt. He’d rationalized it away as he always did. He wouldn't be tempted if he was straight and had his needs met by his wife. Being gay was not his fault. This need to seek out a man was not his doing. Therefore these high ideals didn't apply to him. Monday he had been ready to bolt for the gym at the end of the day, only to be reminded there was a board of directors meeting he couldn't duck out of. Now here it was, Tuesday! Would this string of roadblocks never end? He pressed Marianne’s number on the office speed dial. “Yes?” “Marianne, what’s the hold-up?” He tried not to sound too irritated. “I’m sorry, Mr. Baker. The printer went down. I called Jerry from tech support. He's here now. He says we'll be back online in a jiff.” “Well, bring the papers in as soon as you can.” A half hour later he was finally on his way to the gym. Once more he rehearsed the speech that he’d practiced for Jake all weekend. He felt nervous, almost panicky. He entered the reception area, checked in with the young stud behind the desk

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and walked into the locker room. He dressed in record time and headed for the main room; to its sounds, sights and smells of bodies in motion. Kevin almost trotted around the gym, straining his eyes for a glimpse of Jake. After fifteen minutes he was sure the man wasn't there. Dejected he walked back out into the reception area. “Denny?” “Yeah, Mr. B, what can I do for ya?” The buff young man was dressed today in a tank top with spaghetti thin straps that showed off his upper body. In spite of his anxiety over Jake, Kevin enjoyed the pleasant sight before him. “Denny, can you tell me if a guy named Jake has been in?” “Sure. Got a last name?” “Ah, no. Sorry.” “Well, let’s see what we can do.” Denny turned to the computer. “Sorry, no Jakes listed. Got some Jacobs.” “Great! That's probably it. How many?” “Six. And all of them have been in a couple of times in the last week.” Shit, Kevin fumed. “Try last Thursday.” Denny searched. “Bingo. Only one Jacob was in last Thursday. Jacob Whittiker.” “That’s gotta be him.” Kevin’s heart leapt into his throat. “Hmmm,” said Denny, almost drooling. “Six foot four, twoforty! Fifty-two inch chest, thirty-four waist. Wow, twenty inch biceps, forty inch quads.” While Denny ticked off Jakes stats, Kevin mentally painted the picture. He sighed. “How about an address? A phone number?” “Sorry, Mr. B., no can do.” Denny shook his head. “That’s confidential.” “Oh, you can tell me his stats, but not where he lives?” “Sorry.” “Can you tell me when he was here last?” “Sure. Let’s see.” More tapping of keys. “Hmmmm. He was in Friday, Sunday, and yeah, today.” Denny raised his

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eyebrows. “Jessica musta checked him in. I woulda remembered for sure. Only here for about twenty minutes and left. You musta just missed him. Guess he didn’t find what he was looking for.” Denny followed his last statement with a suggestive grin directed at Kevin. Kevin felt himself blush, despite his angst at being held up at the bank and missing a chance to confront Jake. “Thanks anyway, Denny,” Kevin managed as he went back into the workout area. His thoughts were jumbled. But, as he worked up a sweat, he had the realization Jake had come and gone that day without working out. Was that a hopeful sign? **** Kevin went half-heartedly to the gym Wednesday. He changed his mind about asking if Jake had been there when he saw it was the young woman on duty. What was her name…Janet or Jessica…whatever? Kevin went through the motions of his work out. Sometimes he couldn’t even remember which set he was on, or which machine he had already done. Not that he was dwelling on Jake, but rather his brain just seemed numb. Sitting on the same bench press where Jake had helped him, he said to himself, You’re a pathetic lump of crap! Get over it! So you missed out on this guy. So what? Get a life. Somehow this little pep talk seemed to work, because Kevin started feeling better and went about the rest of his routine with more enthusiasm. He even thought about the emails he had received from the guy in the next state. Maybe three hundred miles wasn’t that far away after all. Kevin showered and went home. Gloria greeted him with a kiss as usual and launched into a detailed discussion of her day. Their daughter had called twice with questions about the new baby. Their son had called. “Kevin, you should be the one talking to him.” He was having trouble at work. His boss was on his case. Kevin would know better than she how to advise him. Yadda, yadda, yadda.

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As soon as he could, after helping with dinner clean up, Kevin left Gloria curled up on the couch watching reruns of Law and Order, SVU and headed for the computer. He logged on with his password. Kevin didn’t have to explain why he and his wife had separate passwords, as Gloria’s knowledge of computers could be detailed on a pinhead. She never questioned the arrangement. Before going into his emails; he checked a site that showcased bears. Bad choice. The featured bear was a guy that could have been Jake’s twin except he was uncut. “Fuck.” Mustering up his resolve to let the Jake incident go, Kevin logged onto the personals site on which he had an ad and went to his mailbox. There were no new messages from the guy next door. Well, next state anyway. That didn’t surprise Kevin, as he had only responded once and hadn't answered the next four emails from the kid. He reopened and read them. Hi Kenny. AKA: Me, Kevin thought. Thanks for responding. I know you are about two-hundred miles away No, three-hundred, kid. But, man, I find you so hot. I would love to see where this could go. I am into older guys and I am married just like you. Could we give this a chance? Hugs, Derrick. Kevin opened the next note. Hey Ken, I know I am being pushy, but I really think we could click. You said in your first email you thought I was hot, too. Well, here are a couple more pix. Tell me what you think. Hugs and more, Derrick Kevin opened the pictures. The guy was cute. He was, as he had said in his ad, of average build and endowment. But he had a nice ass and a nice hair pattern on his chest and abs. Kevin wrote back. Hi, Derrick, Sorry it took so long to get back to you. I am rereading your messages. I had company over the weekend: inlaws, ugh! Liked what I saw. Yes, you did, Kevin told himself.

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Here are some pix of me that you might… He thought better of sending the pictures. He deleted that. Hugs back, Kenny. Third email. Kenny, I hope that the reason you aren’t writing is something other than you are not interested. There are not a lot of guys in our situation and, well, when you find someone that is and is what you like…well, I just hope I hear from you. Derrick. Kenny/Kevin replied: Derrick, Yes, I am interested. As I said in the email I just sent, I think you are hot and want to see what can happen here. So, let’s keep writing and maybe we can find a way to meet. Ken. Kevin pressed ‘send’ and then opened Derrick’s last email, dated the day before. Well, I guess you are another no show. Really bummed as I thought this was going to work. We seemed to match really well. You know, what we were looking for, the things we liked sexually, you know. Well, hope you are well. Thanks for reading this. If you did. Derrick. The kid sounds needy, thought Kevin. Maybe I shouldn’t have written what I did? Oh, well, too late now. Kevin went to the family email site and checked out the messages. None of which he was too excited about. The usual… Hi Mom and Dad how are you…Blah, Blah, Blah. Gloria, Here are the recipes you asked for… “Whoopee,” Kevin said out loud. He was just about to close the computer down when, a ‘message from Derrick is in your mailbox.’ alert appeared. Kevin sighed. Let’s see what the kid has to say. OMG! Thank you, thank you for writing. I thought this was a lost cause. I am on cloud nine and hard as a rock. I am looking at your picture and getting ready to blow my load. OMG! Below is my cell phone number. I am the only one on this phone so call me anytime. Fuck I am so happy. Call me tonight if you can. Kevin read the number. Love, Derrick. “Love, Derrick?” It was Kevin’s turn to say OMG! And he

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did, loudly. Then he looked over his shoulder to see if there was a response from the family room. He couldn’t deal with this now. He closed down the computer and went to sit with Gloria on the couch. She cuddled up and Kevin realized she was on track to initiate sex. This wasn't his night. **** Later, in the bedroom, Gloria came out of the master bath. “Do you think I’m fat?” she asked, turning to look at herself over her shoulder in the three-fold full-length mirror. Dutifully Kevin replied, “Of course not.” “Did you weigh yourself at the gym today?” “Yes.” “Well?” Kevin hadn't been eating well during the Jake episode. He knew what would happen if he said he had lost weight, so he lied. “I was my usual, one-hundred-seventy-five.” “Well, I must be gaining. I look bloated, don’t you think?” “You look fine, honey.” On cue he rose from the bed and put his arms around her. “I feel like I weigh one-hundred-fifteen,” she pouted. At five feet one inch, 115 pounds wasn't a problem to anyone but Gloria. “Do you weigh one-hundred-fifteen?” “No, one-hundred-ten, but I feel like one-hundred-fifteen.” Following the script, Kevin read his line. “You look as young and slender as the day we were married.” “Really?” “Really.” “Oh, Kev.” She melted into his arms. As they lay down on the bed kissing and fondling, he began the mental search for a fantasy that would enable him to perform. His mind tossed to and fro until it came to light on Jake and Denny. He super imposed images of the two studs onto scenes from porn videos he had

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seen and laced them with bottles of Jim Beam and Jack Daniels. Drunken sex was his hot button, at least in fantasy. He became hard enough to penetrate. Lucky for him Gloria was horny enough to climax in a short time. Lucky, too, was the fact that he hadn't come since his jack-off session the previous Thursday. And when he did, all that filled his mind was the image of a giant of a man, whose body belonged in a Greek museum. Jake! Satiated, Gloria purred in his arms as she fell asleep. Well, this is just dandy, Kevin thought. Just dandy. I’m hot for a guy I’ll probably never see again, I got a little hottie miles away who wants me, and I’m in bed with my wife. “Fuck!” “What’s that, dear?” Gloria’s sleepy voice whispered. “Nothing. Go to sleep.” Fuck, he said again. This time to himself. **** Kevin surprised himself Thursday at work. He was able to concentrate on bank business for maybe twenty minutes at a time, without either thinking about his letter to Derrick, or of his infatuation with Jake. As for the former, he hadn't a clue how to undo the impulsive, rebound inspired email he'd sent to the kid. He could just ignore the myriad of emails he knew would be coming, asking: What happened? Was there something wrong? Was he going to call? But, Kevin knew, understood, the loneliness of being gay and married. He had been where Derrick was. And wasn’t Derrick’s desperation a reflection of his own with regard to Jake? No, he would write to Derrick and say something to make him feel okay about the fact there was no way anything could come of their long-distance romance as soon as he had a chance. Romance? Had he used that word? Fuck, I am in bad shape. As far as thinking of Jake was concerned; his thoughts ranged from wistful to despairing. Almost all hope had faded that he would be able to connect with him again. What might have

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been hopeful thoughts, were replaced with oh why, why, why? Five-thirty came. Kevin said goodnight to Marianne and headed for his car. Without thinking he carried his gym bag with him; although he had no intention of going to the gym. Gloria had reminded him it was her yoga night; so he didn’t have to hurry home from his workout. He told her he wasn’t feeling great and would be home right after work. He told her not to worry about dinner. He would pick up something on his way. He still had these thoughts on his mind when he realized he had parked in his usual place in the gym’s lot. Kevin gave a sardonic laugh. He started to back out of the space, stopped and admonished himself again. “Get a life.” Fortified by his own will power; he got out of the car and walked into the building and up to the check in counter. Denny looked up as he approached. A Cheshire Cat grin crossed his face. “What? My fly open?” Kevin quipped. “I wish,” Denny replied. “No, yer boyfriend’s here.” “My what?” Kevin felt a surge of excitement, even as he sensed the flush crawling up his neck to his cheeks. “Your boyfriend is here,” Denny said again, enunciating loudly. “You know, Hunky Jacob Whittiker?” Kevin was breathless, enjoying the concept, but he nevertheless said, “He’s not my boyfriend.” “Well, you coulda fooled him. He sure acts like he thinks he is,” Denny replied, sorting once more through the guest passes he would hand out that night. “Why would you say that?” Kevin couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Well, Hunky Jake comes in awhile ago. And before he even says howdy do, he says ‘Is Kevin here?’ “Then when I say no, he looks all deflated, like yesterday’s helium balloon. That’s a man who thinks he has a boyfriend.” Kevin stood with his mouth open. “Dude, get yourself in there. He’s waiting.” ****

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Kevin flew through the door to the men’s lockers. He dressed so fast; he forgot his jock. Halfway to the gym door, he realized he was hanging out the side of his short, silk workout pants and went back to adjust his wardrobe. He started back down the walkway, only to return to his locker to deposit his wedding ring in his pants pocket. Entering the main floor of the workout area, Kevin slowed. He forced himself to take a deep breath to calm himself down. A fifty-five, okay fifty-eight, year old man did not act like a kid on a sugar high. He walked through the machines to the free weights, searching. There he was; sitting on the preacher curl bench, talking to a man who looked like he was in training for some sort of body builder’s competition. Kevin tried to keep himself from shaking. Tried to keep from reading anything into the fact that Jake was talking to a guy who made Kevin look like a used newspaper. Jake looked up, saw Kevin and rose from the bench. He said something to the guy he was talking to, and was in front of Kevin in two strides. “Jake, I—” “No, shhh, s’okay. You’re here.” “Jake. I was scared…I wanted to—” “Com ’ere.” Jake took Kevin by the upper arm and steered him to the side of the gym, where the cardio equipment was placed. “Jake, where’re we going?” “Here,” Jake said with a smile. Jake took Kevin around a corner into a short dark hallway. The door at the end was marked Electrical Closet Authorized Personnel Only. The view from the exercise floor was obscured. The brief thought, He’s been here before, passed through Kevin’s mind. Jake turned Kevin to face him, put his massive arms around Kevin, stared into his eyes for a long moment, and kissed him. Kevin resisted for just a second, then surrendered to the passion he had longed for all his life. The kiss was long and intense. At its conclusion, Jake

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pulled Kevin to his chest with one huge hand behind his head, the other around his waist. Kevin could feel the big man’s heart beating against his cheek; feel the bulge of Jake’s cock straining against his own. This was no mere moment of passion. The embrace communicated more than sex, there was affection behind it. Kevin scarcely dared to believe his fantasy was coming to life. He longed to allow his hands to roam to the firm, round buttocks he had so admired: to knead the mounds of muscular flesh, but he hesitated. He didn’t want to break the spell. After a minute Jake spoke. “Man, I thought I might never get to see you again.” “Jake, I’m sorry,” Kevin began. “I just panicked last week. I wanted to…but I just held back. I’m sorry,” he said again. “Not a problem now. But, man, when you weren’t here at the gym for a couple days, I was sure I had scared you off. Thought I hadn’t picked up the signals right. Thought you were straight.” Kevin didn't respond. He just increased the pressure of his embrace. “Let’s get outta here,” Jake whispered. “What about our workout?” “I got a better one planned for us.” Kevin felt a surge of anticipation, followed by a flock of butterflies settling in his midsection. Jake bent down for one more kiss and then led the way out of the alcove into the hubbub of the exercise room. Kevin hesitated at the door, checking to see if anyone saw them emerging; if anyone looked like they might suspect what had gone on. To his relief no one seemed to be looking in their direction. Kevin followed his soon to be lover into the locker area. “Shower?” he asked. “Later,” said Jake. “Get your stuff.” Jake patted him on the butt and disappeared around the corner. Kevin checked to make sure the row of lockers was empty. They came out of the lockers into reception together and headed for the front doors. Denny looked up from the desk, where he was checking in two new arrivals. “Hey,” he said in a louder than needed voice. “I see you two hooked up. Have a

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good time, you guys.” Kevin cringed and blushed, but Jake bellowed “Yes siree!” and gave Denny the thumbs up. Oh, God, Kevin thought, looking at the two men who were at the desk signing in. He was relieved when they didn’t seem to be paying any attention to him or Jake. Out in the parking lot, Jake asked, “My place or yours? How far are you?” Kevin’s home was minutes away. He couldn't take Jake there even though Gloria would be gone…Gloria! He had to call her and make up some excuse for being late. He decided to lie. “I’m about forty-five minutes. You?” “About ten miles, guess we’ll go there. Where’s your wheels?” “The SUV over there. I’ll follow you.” “Oh, no, you don’t, buster,” Jake said with mock seriousness, wrapping Kevin in a one-armed hug right there in public. “I’m not letting you out of my sight again.” Gratified, but feeling conspicuous, Kevin grinned up at the man’s smiling face. God he’s beautiful. “Okay, hop in, I’ll drive.” “Naw, I want you closer than that. Come’er. We’re gonna take my bike.” “A motorcycle? But, I’ve never…I’m in a suit.” This is crazy, Kevin thought. “You’ll love it, man. Stash your stuff and let’s go.” Kevin walked to his vehicle. He dumped his gym bag in the back, pulled out his cell and pressed ‘home’ on the quick dial. He'd just finished recording a lame excuse for Gloria about some of the guys going out for dinner after their workout, when Jake walked up behind him. “Ya gotta check in with someone?” Jake sounded a bit hesitant. “Ah…no. Just checking with the office for last minute… um…stuff and…ah, stuff.” Smooth, Baker, he thought. “Where you work?”

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Before he could stop himself, still flustered by his earlier fumbling response, Kevin blurted out, “Third Street Bank and Trust.” Fuck! More personal stuff out. “Hey, a money tycoon. You’re getting more appealing by the minute.” Kevin must have looked stricken, because Jake added, “Hey, man, didn’t mean that the way it sounded. I’m into you even if you’re dirt poor.” Kevin smiled. “Well, now about that motorcycle.” “Bike,” corrected Jake. “It’s a Harley.” As it turned out, the bike ride to Jake’s modest two bedroom home was a thrill. Kevin had never done anything like it in his life. It was enthralling, hanging on to the big man, arms tight around his waist, head against the broad back. He soon got over his initial fear and relaxed. It was chilly, as he only wore his suit, and his tie flapped in the slipstream, but Kevin decided he might get one of these ‘bikes’ for himself. If he did, he would get a leather jacket and chaps. That thought brought a thrill to his groin as well. As Jake opened the door and let him in, Kevin felt a pang of apprehension. His other encounters had been in cheap motels, sharing expenses with men who had to be just as discreet as he. This man was single, out and thought Kevin was, too. His apprehension was squelched as Jake turned to him and said, “Welcome home, Kevin. I’ve dreamed of this for a long time.” Kevin disregarded the anxiety the word ‘home’ aroused. Jake took the smaller man in his arms and kissed him. This time the kiss was full of desire and exploration. Tongues sought each other; saliva was shared, hands groped, finding areas of pleasure and excitement in the other's body. Kevin allowed himself to discover the reality of the firm gleutial muscles that had been the magnets of his attention for so many weeks. He was not disappointed. The reality, in this case, matched the fantasy. “Now for that shower,” Jake announced when the kiss ended, both men breathing heavily. It was clear Jake was in charge and would make the

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decisions for the evening. That suited Kevin just fine. He wasn't submissive, but preferred to have someone else take the lead. “This way.” Kevin followed Jake to the first small bedroom. As they walked through the house, Kevin noted it was neat and clean, modestly furnished. Definitely a gay man’s home, Kevin observed. Posters of body builders and handsome, hunky male models adorned the walls. Gay Pride magazine was displayed on the coffee table. Kevin felt envious of Jake's freedom to be who he was. He also felt guilty, as Jake was under the impression he was also one of the club. In the bedroom, the two men stood on either side of the bed. Jake started to undress. Kevin stood with his hands hanging at his sides, mesmerized, as Jake pulled his shirt over his head, revealing his golden-haired chest and abdomen. He loosened his belt and looked at Kevin. Jake smiled and dropped his pants. Kevin shook himself into action, shedding his suit coat and tie, but he never took his eyes from the god revealing himself before him. Jake’s jeans slid to the floor. As he stepped out of them, the muscles of his thighs and calves dazzled Kevin’s senses. The tight white briefs clung to the contours of Jake’s erect penis. Jake stood on first one foot and then the other as he removed his socks. This caused his dick and balls to rotate back and forth against his thighs. Kevin was having trouble breathing. Kevin was now stripped to his briefs as well. He was a bit chagrined that his were bikini style. This was one of his attempts to feel at least a little openly gay. He had discovered many married guys had little ways of letting it show, thereby satisfying the need to be themselves. These particular briefs were paisley purple and teal blue. He wished he had chosen his low rider, white, Calvin Clines. Again, the two men stood facing each other on either side of the bed. Jake slowly, seductively hooked his thumbs in the waistband of his briefs and inched the cotton fabric down over the mound of flesh beneath them. His dense, curly, pubic hair

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came into view, followed by the thick base of his cock. When the waistband cleared the head, his dick arched up well past horizontal; curving upward and dripping. Jake’s balls were as spectacular as the rest of him. As he stepped out of his underwear, they rolled back and forth on his legs. Round, red and covered in the same golden down as the rest of him, they caused Kevin to fight to repress a gasp. “Your turn.” Kevin realized he was standing, staring at the sights revealed to him, still in his briefs. Snapping out of his inactivity; he obeyed Jake's order, but with much less flair. His respectable package now on display; he stood and sort of shrugged his shoulders, almost in an apology. “Turn around.” Kevin obeyed. He had always thought his ass was one of his good points, but in comparison to Jake’s? Well. He needn’t have worried. As Kevin completed his rotation, he heard Jake’s sharp exhale of breath. He turned to see delight reflected back at him from Jake's eyes. “Beautiful, man.” Kevin smiled, relieved. Jake knee crawled over the bed, stepped to the floor and embraced Kevin once more. This was the first time there was flesh to flesh contact. Kevin had no words to describe what was going on in his mind, heart or body. He'd had enough sex with guys to know what it felt like to be in a naked embrace, but this ratcheted anything he had experienced up a notch. The feel of Jake’s firm muscular body against his, the sensation of Jake’s superb male equipment against him, were more than any fantasy had prepared him for. After several deep kisses, during which their bodies ground against each other; Jake tipped Kevin’s chin, kissed his nose and said. “Shower.” **** Jake’s bathroom was small, as would be expected for such

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a modest house. The confined space was further exaggerated by the size of its occupant. Every change of position, when both men were in the cubicle, resulted in a delicious rubbing of body parts. Kevin leaned against the sink as Jake bent into the shower to adjust the water temperature. This afforded Kevin a fantastic view of the golden-tinged globes. Overcome with temptation, Kevin reached out and placed his hands on Jake’s hips, pulled himself forward and pressed his very erect cock firmly against the crevice between the butt cheeks. “Oh, that’s nice, man. So nice.” Jake pushed back against the pressure. Kevin, usually a bottom, had a brief desire to grab his cock and invade Jake’s body, declaring his love as he did. The moment was cut short as Jake stood, turned and backed into the shower stall, pulling Kevin in with him. As the water hit Kevin’s face and body, he felt embarrassed by his forwardness. He feared Jake’s avoidance of any further ass play indicated Kevin had made a mistake. These thoughts were erased when Jake’s deep voice came through the sound of the cascading water. “We’ll save that special treat for later.” Relieved by the big guy's words; Kevin responded to Jake’s ministrations to his body. The stall being so small, the two men barely fit, let alone wash. Evidently Jake had done this before, as he showed Kevin how they could lather and bathe each other within the restricted confines of the cubicle. Cleaned and rinsed, the men clambered out of the stall. Jake grabbed towels and they walked down the hall, drying themselves and each other as they went. Once back in the bedroom, Jake deposited his towel on the floor and climbed on the bed. He lay on his right side, spread his arms wide, inviting Kevin to fill them. “Time for the main event,” he said with a broad smile. Kevin joined the giant on the bed. He pressed his body against Jake’s, desiring to be totally absorbed by the big man. They kissed, caressed, kneaded, explored, sucked nipples, muscles, faces, expressing their passions with moans and exclamations. Jake slid down Kevin’s body and took Kevin’s dick

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in his hand. He held it tight and began to lick the tip, swirling his tongue around and around the head. Kevin was going crazy with desire. Just when Kevin thought he could take no more, Jake took the swollen phallus to the base and Kevin groaned his appreciation. Jake then rolled over on his back, pulling Kevin over on top of him, so he was straddling Jake’s face. Kevin was now in a position to take Jake’s cock in his mouth. As Kevin continued to absorb the pleasure that Jake was giving him, he grabbed the backs of the big man’s thighs and looked at the engorged member inches from his face. He breathed in the clean scent of soap, mingled with the aroma that Kevin knew belonged to Jake alone. Prolonging the moment as long as he could, Kevin lowered his mouth onto Jake’s waiting penis. As Kevin explored his prize with his tongue, tracing the contours of the head, probing the slit, following the veins, Jake moaned his appreciation by thrusting upward and squirming beneath him. Kevin then pulled off of Jake’s dick and began to lick his balls. The mild, salty taste increased Kevin’s need for Jake’s body. Kevin’s actions were met with a roar of approval from Jake. Kevin licked, sucked, bit and tried to take as much of Jake’s huge scrotum into his mouth as he could. Jake was aroused to a frenzy. After several minutes, Jake rolled Kevin over and pinned him to the bed with his shins, kneeling above him, passion blazing in his eyes. He placed two pillows behind Kevin’s head and directed his hard cock at his mouth. Kevin hungrily took in the offering and deep throated until he gagged. In and out in a perfect rhythm, stopping only to lick and kiss the now throbbing head, while first kneading Jake's ass, then twisting his nipples, Kevin continued to worship his lover’s maleness. The sweetness of Jake’s pre-cum filled Kevin’s nostrils and taste buds. After a few minutes, the giant roared and Kevin could feel volleys of cum shooting into his mouth and down his throat. This was the best it had ever been. Jake’s semen was salty and sweet. Kevin was in heaven. Jake shuddered and pulled out. He bent down, putting

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partial weight on Kevin’s chest. “Share?” he asked. Kevin opened his mouth and allowed Jake to siphon off the remains of the ejaculation. “Fantastic,” they both said in unison. Then they laughed. “I'm good for two in a row, you up for it?” “Fantastic,” Kevin said again. “What now?” Instead of answering, Jake slid down, kneeling between Kevin’s legs. He raised them in the air. Starting with Kevin’s cock and balls, Jake began an oral massage. Moving from there to the soft skin beneath, he had Kevin moaning and writhing. Then Kevin nearly shot off the bed when Jake’s tongue invaded his ass. Kevin had been rimmed before, but never like this. Jake could keep this up all night as far as Kevin was concerned. Realizing what was coming next, Kevin turned his head to the nightstand. He smiled when he saw a bottle of lube and the shiny foil of a condom wrapper. He relaxed and let Jake’s tongue and fingers work their magic. “I’m ready,” Kevin moaned as Jake manipulated his anus with three well-lubricated fingers. “Yeah, I can feel that,” Jake said, in a voice not more than a whisper. “I want this to be special for us both. We got something good started here. Who knows where it could wind up?” He leaned down and kissed Kevin in a tender, loving way. Kevin shuddered with conflicting emotions. This was the stuff of which his dreams had been made: the love of a man, the satisfaction of his physical needs. Happiness pierced his heart. But there was also guilt. Jake didn’t know that somewhere on the other side of town was Gloria, in a full Lotus reaching for eternal bliss. Dealing with that could wait. Right now, the more urgent need was to consummate his relationship with Jake. Jake rocked back on his knees. “Now,” Kevin said. “You are positive, ain’t ya? Cuz I am.” Jake locked eyes with Kevin's. “Yes, I’m positive,” Kevin replied. Positive I love you, positive I want you inside me, positive I’ll do what it takes to make this work, he thought.

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“That’s great. Here we go.” Jake said, leaning toward the nightstand. “This is for us.” Jake murmured as he pressed his dick head against Kevin’s anus. Kevin made a conscious effort to relax. He was well opened, but nevertheless Jake’s girth caused a good amount of resistance. Jake was patient and gentle and in a minute or so Kevin felt the head enter his body. He bit his lip. “You okay?” “Yessss…ah…yeah…uh.” Kevin was breathing in short gasps, enduring the discomfort. Then with one swift movement, he reached around Jake’s legs, grabbed the juncture between the leg biceps and the beautiful ass and thrust himself forward, forcing Jake to invade all the way to his pubic hair. “Uh…uh,” grunted Kevin. Jake moaned. “Fantastic,” Kevin managed to get out. Jake didn't move for several seconds. The union was complete and sweet. Kevin surrendered and relaxed. He locked his ankles around Jake’s neck and initiated a gentle rhythm by again pulling on Jake’s legs and ass. Jake took up the cadence and soon they were swooning to the sensations of the action, drifting into a haze of sex and love. “Oh, fuck, you are good. Oh, fuck, yeah,” Jake intoned over and over. He would plunge deep into Kevin and then pull all the way out; only to reenter, going as deep as he could each time. When he reached bottom, Kevin would experience a sharp feeling almost like an electric shock in the tip of his penis. He must be hitting my prostate, my love nut, he thought, remembering the words from porn stories he'd read. In Kevin’s limited experience no one had ever elicited this response from his cock. God, so that's what it’s all about. No wonder they write about it. They were both sweating now. Kevin didn’t know whether he could cum from such stimulation, but even if he didn’t, the

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sensations were so exhilarating he could go on forever. Jake looked down. “I’m gettin’ close. That okay, you okay with that?” “Yes, whenever you want.” “I love you, Kevin.” “You, too.” “Say it. Please say it,” Jake pleaded. “I love you, Jake, I love you, I love you.” Once the words were uttered, Jake increased his tempo. He was quivering all over. Sweat was dripping down on Kevin’s body. “Oh, fuck, yeah, yeah fuck, fuck,” Jake said. Just like in the clips, Kevin thought. It’s just like in the clips. “Oh, God, shit, Kev. I’m gonna shoot,” Jake groaned, thrust forward and then shuddered. Four times he repeated this action. Kevin clung to him, reveling in the experience of being fucked for love. Jake slowed then stopped. He lay down on Kevin, supporting much of his weight with his elbows and knees, but letting his sweaty chest and domed abdomen come in contact with Kevin’s. Jake leaned in and kissed him. “Thank you, Kev.” Kevin was thrilled. “You’re welcome. Oh, so welcome.” “Now for you.” Jake slid down, placing his knees on the floor. He bent over Kevin, grabbing his buns with both hands, sliding him down to the edge of the bed, taking Kevin’s hard cock in his mouth. With devastating expertise, he stroked the swollen phallus with his lips, tongue and teeth, alternating deep-throating with tender licking of the sensitive groove behind the head. Kevin grabbed both sides of Jake’s head, feeling the stubble of a day’s growth of hair. As Jake would descend, Kevin would arch upward and pull, pressing Jake’s face into the copious pubic hair at the base of his penis. Kevin’s legs started to quiver. He had the sensation of butterflies in his stomach. “Oh, Jake, Jake.” He arched again and shot his cum into Jake’s waiting mouth. When Kevin finished filling Jake’s mouth with his semen, Jake swallow it all and mumbled, “Oh, sweet nectar.”

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When Kevin was spent, Jake bear-crawled up beside him, cradled him in his arms, kissed his lips, cheeks, chin and forehead. Kevin wrapped his arms around his lover. Complete for the first time he could remember, Kevin relaxed. A deep sigh of contentment escaped his lips. They dozed. **** Kevin opened his eyes. At first disoriented, he then remembered where he was and what had transpired. He looked up into Jake’s smiling face. “You awake, sleeping handsome?” Jake pulled Kevin closer. “Yeah. What time is it?” “About eight-thirty. Why, you ain’t gonna kiss and run are you?” Jake meant it as a joke, but Kevin could tell there was a hint of concern in his voice. “No, I ain’t gonna kiss and run. Well, maybe I am gonna kiss a bit.” And he did. But, during the kiss the thought struck him, Is Jake expecting me to stay the night? Jake was talking. “Man, this is so perfect. You’re the right age, the perfect body, and we got so many important things in common.” Kevin pondered that for a moment. What did they have in common? They were both gay. They liked to work out. They loved sex. But beyond that… “Yeah, we sure do, Kevin responded, not wanting to upset the moment. Jake was continuing. “I know I kinda pushed you into saying that you loved me. I mean we just met, but, I been looking for you for so long.” Kevin smiled. He had been waiting to fall in love with someone for as long as he could remember. “You didn’t push me. I need you to love me, too. You will never know how much.” Jake leaned in and kissed him. “How’s about a shower and then we get something to eat? It’s Thursday. There’s a college game on. We could have us a couple of beers and watch

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the game for awhile. Maybe get a little drunk and have some more fun.” Jake rolled over, encircled Kevin with his huge arms and nuzzled his head into Kevin’s neck. Oh, my God. Can this be real? We do have some things in common. Out loud, he said, “Sounds like a plan to me.” To himself he added, What the fuck can I tell Gloria to get to spend the night? “All righty then.” Jake got up and out of bed. Kevin swung his legs out of his side of the bed and sat on the side. His eye caught something on the nightstand: the condom, unopened. He picked it up. Turning to Jake, he asked, “Didn’t you use this?” Jake stretched and yawned while he said, “Nope. Since you said you were positive, I figured we didn’t need it, since I am too.” “You’re, what, too?” asked Kevin, standing in alarm, shaking the condom at Jake. Jake looked confused. “HIV positive. Isn’t that what you meant when you replied to me when I asked you if you were positive?” “Fuck no! I meant I was positive you should fuck me. Holy Shit, Holy Shit!” In that moment of passionate ecstasy, it hadn't occurred to Kevin positive could mean anything but the assent of two souls to unite. “You’re not pos? You’re negative?” “Hell no! I’m not positive, I’m…or was, negative.” “Oh, man, I'm sorry. Oh, God. Kevin…” “Shit, what am I gonna do?” Kevin was pacing in circles around the bedroom, rubbing his hands together, his still semihard cock thrashing from side-to-side like the tail of a caged lion. Jake ran his hand over his smooth head. “First, we’re gonna get you into the bathroom and get you cleaned out as much as we can. Then…well…come into the john.” Kevin followed Jake into the bathroom. He felt numb. There he bent over the sink, while Jake administered a disinfectant enema, explaining even when he used a rubber, this was a good thing to do.

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Kevin sat on the stool, humiliated to be crapping his guts out in front of the man who, until fifteen minutes before, was his dream come true. Well, he thought, if I do get HIV then Gloria will divorce me and I can move in here…What the hell am I thinking! he screamed in his mind. “You clean?” Jake asked in a tender, loving tone. “Yeah, I think so. I gotta get outta here. My wife’s gonna be home soon—” “Your wife!” Kevin looked up into an anguished face. He could see hurt and betrayal etched there. He felt deep remorse for the lies he had told or let be assumed. But at the same time he felt some revenge for not being given the chance to decide if he could handle an HIV relationship. Jake stormed out of the room. Kevin could here him banging around somewhere in the house. He sat for a minute more, cleaned himself, then got up and went into the empty bedroom. Jake’s clothes were still on the floor. Kevin dressed and went out into the living room. Jake had a beer in his hand and was standing in a pair of sweats, staring at a blank TV screen. He was bare-chested. Even in his agitated state, Kevin appreciated the beauty of the man. “Well, I guess we both screwed up, didn’t we?” Jake said. There was sadness in his voice, but not anger. He turned to Kevin. “What do I do now?” “I’ll give you the name of my counselor. Call her in the morning. She’ll tell you what to expect and when to get tested.” Kevin shivered as Jake walked out of the room. He couldn’t focus. His world had come together and then was torn apart in a single evening. It was as much his fault as Jake’s. No, more his fault. Jake had asked. He just assumed Kevin had brains. Kevin had deceived. “Fuck!” Jake returned. He had dressed. He handed Kevin the card. “Her name’s Cheryl. It’s all confidential. You can use a fake name. Or is Kevin Baker your fake name?” Although he didn’t say it in an accusatory way, hearing

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Jake say it, still hurt. “No, I am Kevin Baker.” “Well, thanks for that. Come on, let me take you to the gym.” Kevin couldn’t stand the thought of having close contact with Jake and never be able to hold him again. He almost felt like he was going to cry. “No, I’ll take a cab.” Jake didn't protest. Kevin punched the speed dial on his cell. “Yeah, I need a cab at…” “716 Emerald Way.” Kevin repeated the address to the cab operator. “Barry’s Body Works, in Goodwin Plaza. Yeah, ten minutes. Fine.” They sat at opposite ends of the couch, waiting for the beep of the taxi. Jake turned to Kevin. “This sucks.” “Sure does.” “I can’t say how sorry I am, man. I shoulda told you I was poz before.” “I know. I’m sorrier. I shouldn’ta let you think I was sing… The cab beeped. They rose and walked to the door. As Kevin was reaching for the knob, Jake grabbed him, spun him around and hugged him. At first Kevin pushed him away, but Jake didn’t relent. Kevin relaxed into the embrace. “Kevin, I do love you…I'm sorry…I—” “I know, Jake, I love you, too. I gotta go. Bye.” Kevin turned, but before Jake’s face left his field of vision, he saw tears on the big man’s cheeks. **** “In answer to your questions, Mr. Canfield…” It was two days after Kevin’s encounter with Jake. Kevin had called the counselor Jake had told him about. He'd spilled his guts to her, telling her he was married, gay and had had unprotected sex with a man who was HIV positive. Although he

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hated to do it, he found it felt good to tell someone about his situation. Sitting there in her office, despite the circumstances, Kevin felt freer than at almost any time in his life. The counselor was continuing. “…If you have the virus, it won’t be detectable for six weeks. Even if you are negative at that time, you will still need to be tested every three months for the first year. Then we can be almost certain you are safe. However, you should understand in some cases the virus may not show up for five or more years. However, since you only had one encounter and took the necessary actions following, I would say you can be reasonably confident you will be all right.” “In the meantime?” Kevin asked. “In the meantime use protection. Continue to exercise, get proper nutrition, rest. All the things you would do if you were just trying to stay healthy.” “So, it's only contracted through intercourse?” “We know it's contracted through both vaginal and anal intercourse. There is some evidence that it could be passed orally either through sexual contact or kissing, but there are no confirmed cases of oral transmission to date.” “And the test?” “Very simple: a swab of saliva or a drop of blood.” Kevin nodded. “And remember, after the test we prefer that you come in to get the results. Even in the case of a non-reactive result, which means you are negative, we like to be available for support if needed. Keep in mind HIV is no longer a death sentence. Improved medications and health management have shown that in a majority of cases you can expect to live a normal life. But we want to make sure you have emotional support in either case.” “Thanks, Cheryl. I guess I’ll see you in six weeks.” Cheryl rose, shook hands with Kevin and showed him to the door. Even though those in the waiting room were there for the same reason as he was, Kevin felt conspicuous and inspected as he left. As Kevin drove home from the appointment with the

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counselor, he was astounded at the changes that had been wrought in his life during the previous forty-eight hours. He'd fallen in love with the man of his dreams and had the very pillars of his life ripped out from under him, all in the same evening. He pulled into his drive. Now, the next big hurdle: Gloria. He'd stayed home from work on Friday feigning a cold. He told Gloria he had a doctor’s appointment and now he had to decide what he was going to tell her. There was no getting around it. She would be expecting sex, even though such requests were becoming more infrequent as they grew older. How was he going to explain why he had to use a condom when they had intercourse? Should he come clean and admit to her he was gay? Did he have a choice? What would hurt the least: a heterosexual affair through which he might have contracted HIV, or a gay one? He sat in the car for a long time, just thinking. He thought of Jake: big, burly, handsome Jake. Just two days earlier he had fulfilled all of Kevin’s fantasies. Kevin had missed out on so much as a married gay man! His secret afternoons in cheap motels hadn't made him feel as good as this one night with Jake. He thought of Gloria: childhood sweetheart, only girl he ever dated, faithful wife of thirty-one years, mother of his children, dependent on him for what retirement had to offer. He thought about his kids: Michelle and Richard. How would they react to this situation? In the end, taking a deep breath, with a plan formulating in his mind, he got out of the car and walked toward the front door. **** “Mr. Baker?” “Yes, Marianne?” Kevin answered his secretary on speaker. “There’s a gentleman here. He says he would like to speak with you.” “I don’t have an appointment on my calendar. Should I have?” “No, sir, he says he knows you're not expecting him, but

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it's important that he see you.” “Does the gentleman have a name?” Marianne’s muffled voice could be heard asking the visitor for a name. A deep voice was heard in the background, but Kevin couldn’t understand the response. “It’s Mr. Jacobson.” “Jacobson? All Right, send him in.” Kevin closed the folder of the loan application he was processing, reading one last line as he heard the door open and close. He looked up to see a mountain of a man standing in front of his desk. His mouth dropped open. “Jake!” Jake was dressed in a gray business suit and tie. He had shaved off his Van Dyke and taken the hoops out of his ears. He looked masculine, handsome, desirable. “Yeah, it’s me. Figured I needed a fake name to get you to see me,” he gave Kevin a weak smile. Kevin stood on trembling legs. He'd fantasized about this moment dozens of times in the past two months. In his fantasies he had leaped over the desk and thrown himself into his former lover’s arms, covering his face with frantic kisses. Now in the reality of the situation, he just raised his hand and offered him a chair. The two men sat for several seconds without talking, staring into each other’s eyes, trying to read in them what each was hoping to see there. Kevin could see that Jake had gone to some lengths to make sure he presented himself as straight at Kevin’s place of business. He felt a surge of affection for the big man for his thoughtfulness. “How are you?” “How ya been doing?” they both said at the same time. They laughed. “You first,” offered Kevin. “I just came to find out how ya were doin’. Denny says you haven’t been to the gym in awhile.” “No, I changed gyms.” Jake sat with lips pursed, nodding. Kevin knew Jake realized why he'd done that. Kevin couldn't stand the thought of

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being in the place where it had all begun, where he would see Jake and relive the hurt. “Ya like the new place?” Kevin nodded, “Yeah, its okay. Not as well equipped as Barry’s, but it works for what I need.” They sat in silence again. “So, you’re okay?” Jake asked. Kevin knew Jake needed to know if he'd been tested, if he was infected or not. Kevin folded his hands on his desk. “Yes, I’m okay.” “Well, that’s good, then.” Jake sounded relieved. More silence. “Well, that’s what I came to find out. I…uh…guess I better be goin’ then?” There was a question in the statement. Kevin wanted with all his heart to answer it with ‘No, stay!’ But, instead he said, “Well, thanks for coming by.” “Yeah, ah…you’re welcome.” Jake stood, looking like he wanted to say something. Kevin leaned forward a little, waiting, hoping. “Bye.” “Bye,” Kevin said, gritting his teeth, swallowing hard. Jake turned to the door, hand on the knob. “Jake, wait!” Kevin was up, around the desk and in Jake’s arms in a flash. Jake enfolded him; bending to kiss the top of his head. “Kev, God, Kev. I missed you, I am so sorry. I am so sorry.” Jake tipped Kevin’s face up to his. Kevin knew he wanted to kiss him. “No. Not here. Not now. Not until we talk.” Kevin pulled out of Jake’s arms. “Its almost lunchtime. I have an appointment here at 11:30. Meet me for lunch at Angelo’s on Catherine at one o’clock. Can you do that?” He searched Jake’s eyes. “I’ll be there.” Kevin let Jake hug him once more. Then Jake turned and left. Kevin stood for several seconds, breathing hard. He knew he had to stick to his plan; he couldn’t let his needs and

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emotions dictate his decisions. Kevin had to do what was right. If his future was going to be something he could live with, he had to stay the course. His 11:30 meeting went well. In fact it was over earlier than anticipated. Kevin was surprised he had been able to concentrate on the needs and questions of his clients, with his impending meeting with Jake moving closer by the minute. He left the office, telling Marianne he wouldn't be back until late and to leave any matters that needed his attention on his desk. He would see her in the morning. Driving to the restaurant, he rehearsed what he was going to say to Jake. He had to stick to the plan. He hoped Jake would understand. Angelo’s was an upscale establishment, catering to the lunchtime crowd generated by the many businesses in the area. Pulling into the parking lot; he looked for Jake’s motorcycle, but didn’t see it. Checking his watch; he saw he was ten minutes early. He told the hostess, who greeted him by name, he needed a private table and he was expecting a guest. He said she would recognize him and described Jake, feeling himself respond to his memories of the man as he spoke. She led him to a booth in the rear of the main dining room. Since the regular lunch hour was almost over, it would afford Kevin the privacy he needed. He ordered a Manhattan and waited. At 12:58, Kevin looked up to see Jake being led to his table by the hostess, whose radiant smile confirmed she appreciated Jake’s assets as much as he did. Kevin stood as they approached. “Thank you, Rose,” Kevin said, smiling at Jake. “Oh, no problem, no problem at all, Mr. Baker,” Rose replied and left with a backward look over her shoulder. Yeah, he has a fantastic butt, Rose, I agree. Kevin mused to himself. “You want a drink?” he asked. “Beer is fine.” The beer was ordered along with a second Manhattan for Kevin from the server who dropped off their menus. Jake looked across the table at him. Kevin could see Jake

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was anxious to hear what he had to say. Hope and fear were in his eyes. “So, your test came out all right?” “Yes it did.” “I’m glad. Shit. I felt so bad about what happened. I shoulda told you…let you know…” Jake was rambling. His anxiety, pent up since that night, was spilling over. “Jake, stop. Listen.” Jake took a deep breath. “I’m sorry.” Jake’s beer was delivered and their lunch orders placed. Kevin sipped his drink. “I have a lot to tell you. Some you may be okay with. Some of it you may not like. All I ask right now is that you listen and try to understand.” “Deal,” Jake said with a smile: not a confident one, but a smile. “First, I did go see Cheryl as you suggested. I took the test two weeks ago and I’m negative.” “That’s great.” Jake reached over and squeezed Kevin’s hand, letting out a deep sigh. Kevin took one more sip of his drink, replaying the moment he was about to reveal. “After that first time I went to see Cheryl, I told Gloria I was gay.” Jake looked shocked. “And?” “Well, first she cried. Asked me what she had done wrong, how she had failed me. You know, like she felt it was her fault I was gay. I told her that she hadn’t done anything wrong, that she had been a good wife. I was gay, always had been, and had known it all my life. That it had nothing to do with her. Then she got mad. Told me I should have told her, that I had lived a lie all our married life. When she got done ranting, she cried again.” “That musta been hard,” Jake offered. “Gets worse,” Kevin gave a mirthless laugh. Jake leaned forward in his seat. Kevin continued. “She cried for about a half hour. I didn’t know what to do: whether to comfort her, or just let her cry it out. After a while I got up and sat next to her on the couch. I put my

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hand on her back and she pulled away.” “Ouch!” “Yeah, I was hurting for her. I knew it was tearing her apart. Then all of a sudden she stopped crying, got up and stood in front of me.” At that point, their salads arrived. The men unfolded napkins and began to eat. For a time, as if by silent, mutual agreement, the conversation turned to more mundane subjects. Kevin was glad for the interruption. It gave him time to think about what he was going to say. While they ate their entrées, they talked about Kevin’s new gym, Jake’s new suit, football and the weather. Just two businessmen having lunch together: no one in the restaurant would suspect what had transpired between them, what was coming next. After the server cleared the dinnerware and brought coffee, Jake initiated the return of the conversation to the reason for their meeting. “So, you were saying Gloria stopped crying, was standing in front of you.” “Yeah.” Kevin stirred artificial sweetener into his cup. “She was very quiet. I thought she looked like a time bomb or a volcano just before it blows. ‘Why are you telling me this now?’ she asked. ‘Why after all these years?’ Her voice was cold, like steel, you know.” Jake nodded, leaning into the conversation again. “I told her about us.” Jake sat up to his full height: a look of surprise on his face. “I told her about us,” Kevin repeated in a softer tone. “I told her that you were HIV positive and that we didn’t use protection and I might be at risk.” Jake closed his eyes and slumped forward, shaking his head. Kevin took a drink of his coffee. “She pretty much flipped out at that point. She stormed around the room, throwing accusations at me about adultery, fornication, vows and commitment. She also started throwing stuff at me,” Kevin almost laughed. “Hit me with a couple of books and knick-

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knacks. Had a couple of good lumps and bruises.” He chuckled. “Oh, man, I’m so sorry,” Jake said again. “S’okay,” said Kevin. “No, its not, I never meant to cause all this trouble for you. You gotta know that. Jake made to reach out and take Kevin’s hand in his again. Kevin held up his hand to stop him. “I know. Let me finish.” Jake pulled his hand back. “After she pretty much tore up the living room, she ran up to our bedroom. I sat there for about twenty minutes, not sure what to do, when she came back with my suitcase. She walked to the door and said, ‘Get out of my house. I want a divorce.’” “Oh, my God! What did you do?” “I got up, took the suitcase and went to a motel.” Jake’s mouth dropped open. “Wow!” Kevin took another sip of his coffee and saw a look of mixed sorrow and hope cross Jake’s face. “So, you been stayin’ in a motel all this time?” Jake’s voice had more than one question in it. Kevin knew what that other question was. He wasn’t quite ready to answer it, yet. “No.” “Where you been staying then?” “I’m coming to that. I gave Gloria until Sunday night to cool down and think things through. Then I went home. When I got there, two of her friends were there with her.” “Shit!” “Yeah, pretty much. They both started in on me. ”What was I doing here? How did I have the nerve?’ All that sort of crap. I had to keep control. One of their husbands has an ad on one of the personal sites, with a picture no less. I didn’t want to be the one to let her know she was in the same boat as Gloria.” Kevin allowed himself a chuckle. “What did you do?” “I told them I had things to discuss with my wife that didn't concern them and threw them out. That wasn't a pretty scene, either, with all three of them yelling at me and threatening me with arrest. I hadn’t been physical, so the arrest threat didn’t

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worry me.” Kevin signaled the server for another round of coffee. By this time the restaurant was almost empty as lunch was over and dinner was a few hours off. The two men sat in silence for a time. Kevin could only guess what was going through Jake’s mind. He watched the big man as he cradled the cup of coffee in his strong, but gentle hands, staring down into its dark contents. At length, Jake raised his head. “What did you discuss with Gloria? If you want to tell me, that is?” “I do.” Kevin knew Jake was anxious to find out where things might stand between them. “After Gloria’s ‘support group’ left and we went through her tirade of why I had no right to order her friends around, I told her to keep quiet, sit down and listen. She did. I told her I wanted to talk about our situation, hers in particular, and this divorce business.” Jake sat up and looked into Kevin’s face. Once more hope and fear reflected in Jake’s steel blue eyes. “I reminded her that the house was in my name: that I had no intention of moving out.” Jake reacted to this with a slight slump of his shoulders. “She said that was fine, she would move out then. I told her to get real. She hadn't worked in years, and had no means of support. She said she would live with her friends. I didn’t bother to respond to that, she was just blowing smoke.” There was another pause as a group of women were led to a booth behind them. They smiled at the men and after passing, Kevin heard one whisper, “Did you see that hunk?” Kevin smiled at the comment and continued, “I told her we had plenty of room in the house and we could live together while we worked this out. We’d lived together for over thirty years and there was no reason to make major changes now.” “So, you’re going through with the divorce, then?” Jake sounded hopeful. “No.” “No?” “I can’t do that to her. If I divorce Gloria, she would be left

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without any support for retirement. Everything is in my name and even if she sues, the way things are set up, she would still be dependent on me. It'll be easier on her if we stay married. In order for her to share in my retirement benefits, health care and long-term care, she has to be married to me.” “You’re going to stay together.” Jake took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Kevin knew he was trying to accept what he hoped he wouldn’t have to. “I don’t have any reason to hurt her. It’s not her fault I’m gay. Not her fault that I hid it from her all this time. Just like it wasn’t your fault I hid my marriage from you. I have to take responsibility for those decisions.” Kevin paused and took a breath. He had mixed feelings of pride at his insights, and guilt at his actions. “So,” he continued, “we’ll stay together, married in name. We will live in the house and things will go on pretty much as they have. The difference is, I won’t be hiding who I am.” “What about…” Jake hesitated. “Us?” Kevin smiled. This time he reached out and took Jake’s hand, squeezing it. “I’m coming to that.” Jake returned the pressure. “I told Gloria, under the new rules we both would be free to date. If she found someone, someone who could support her, then we could revisit the divorce thing. I said I would be dating as well.” “Dating?” “Yeah. I know this hunky guy. We’ve only had one date. That went pretty well, except for one little glitch.” Kevin winked and Jake smiled. “You never know what might develop once we take the time to get to know one another.” Jake reached out and took both Kevin’s hands in his. “God, that makes me feel…feel…God!” “Well, I hope it makes you feel good.” “Good…it makes me feel like shouting and singing and…well, we need to get outta here to do that.” Jake smiled. The two men got up to go. Kevin left the money for the meal on the table. The ladies that had passed by their booth looked once more at Jake. Kevin then did something he would

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never have done two months earlier. He put his arm around Jake’s broad shoulders and said, “Sorry, girls, he's taken.” Jake laughed. Walking out of the restaurant into the afternoon sun, Kevin looked up into Jake’s smiling face. “You understand, I need to take this slow. We need to make sure…at least I need to make sure. This is a big step for me.” “It’s big for me, too,” replied Jake. Without another word, the two men walked hand-in-hand to Jake’s motorcycle. As Jake took his helmet out of the right pannier bag, Kevin took the extra helmet from the left, put it on and mounted the pillion seat. If I’m gonna be riding around like this very much, I really am gonna need chaps and a leather jacket, Kevin thought with a smile. “Let’s go, Mr. Whittiker. We can come back for my car… tomorrow.” The machine roared to life, and with ties flying, Kevin and Jake drove off to explore their futures. THE END

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ABOUT TERRY O’REILLY Terry O’Reilly is a retired school teacher living a quiet life in the Midwest with his three dogs and his horse. He began writing several years ago at the urging of a friend and fellow author. He has books available through several publishers, including Amber Allure Press, Aspen Mountain Press, eXcessica Publishing, and JMS Books LLC. Writing has become an important part of his life, allowing him to explore his own thoughts, needs, and feelings, as well as learn about other cultures and eras as he researches his stories.

ABOUT JMS BOOKS LLC Founded in 2010, JMS Books LLC is owned and operated by author J.M. Snyder. We publish a variety of genres, including gay erotic romance, fantasy, young adult, poetry, and nonfiction. Short stories and novellas are available as e-books and compiled into single-author print anthologies, while any story over 30k in length is available in both print and e-book formats. Visit us at jms-books.com for our latest releases and submission guidelines!