Lured (Straight Taste Book 3)

by Jaylen Florian

  Hugo appealed to me. However, I tried to recount what he and I had possibly said to each other to arrive at this point. Hugo had made quite the assumption by whipping his big dong out in front of me. Had he caught me stealing a glimpse at his crotch? Or noticed me watching the way his faded jeans hugged his muscular ass while we strolled to his truck?

  I chose to take a comical approach. "You are sporting a massive piece of work there, Hugo."

  "You don't have to boost my ego," he replied. "I'm obviously ready for you to do your thing."

  "My thing?" Had he made any attempt at geniality I may have bent my head into his lap without a second thought. But something felt wrong. I was too confused to play along.

  "No teeth," he cautioned me. "Don't forget, Ken."

  I leaned away from Hugo until my back was against the passenger side window. "I understand what you want me to do, but I missed the whole seduction part."

  Hugo took off his sunglasses and crinkled his eyebrows. His eyes were radiant blue, but glaring at me with agitation. "If I wanted all of this chatter I'd have picked up a hussy at a bar."

  "Why didn't you?"

  "They are a dime a dozen, but they make every excuse not to swallow."

  "Wait a second," I said. "What did Leo tell you about me?"

  "That you're a creep."

  "What?"

  "He said you love dick and you'd be worth every penny."

  "How many pennies?"

  "Seventy-five dollars worth."

  Hugo watched me react with a blitz of shock. My shoulders drooped and I exhaled all of the air from my lungs.

  "Hey, I just want my money's worth," Hugo said. "I don't care how you and Leo split it. I don't want to be involved in any of that drama."

  "You paid Leo seventy-five dollars to give me a ride home?" I knew the answer to my question. I asked anyway because I just stumbled with how else to react.

  "I did. You owe me, Ken. I'd rather you stop asking me questions and get down to it."

  "Pull over," I demanded.

  "The rest stop is five miles away. You'll have to hold it."

  "Pull over right now or I am calling 911."

  Hugo cursed with savagery and moved his truck onto the shoulder of the highway. I barely waited until we came to a complete stop before leaping out the passenger side door. I didn't give Hugo a final glance or react to his insults. With as much determination as I could muster, I tucked my chin to my chest and speedily walked along the highway, in the opposite direction.

  I only looked back once. Hugo's truck was still there. He was waiting for me to return. But I never would.

  I eventually rounded a bend and realized that tears were streaming down my cheeks. There was nothing in sight except flat land and highway. I had nowhere to go.

  It was getting dark and nippy. I had walked so long my feet ached. Soon I'd be enveloped in darkness. I stopped and stuck out my arm with my thumb up. Within a few minutes a woman driving a white flatbed truck pulled over and offered me a lift. Fortunately, her destination was the truck stop near my duplex unit. She was heading there to rest for the night. She was gruff and matter-of-fact, until she began sharing stories about her daughter's upcoming wedding. I listened to all the antics and arguments over expenses and invitations with close attention, trying to forget my day's events, and ended up laughing much of the way home as she told me how she had pleaded for her daughter to "just elope and be done with it."

  Chapter 12

  Saturday morning, Andrew and I were hiking through a deciduous forest in an upstate park weaving along the rolling hills encompassing a lazy river. Amber, bronze, and scarlet leaves nestled along the wooden planks, which were embedded in the trails to make the inclines on the slopes easier to traverse. Mellow gusts occasionally brought whiffs of damp earth and pure air, sifting through the trees and resulting in cascades of leaves spiraling to the ground.

  There was enough chill that we had to wear jackets. Both of us were also clad in jeans and hiking boots and carried backpacks. At five miles in length, completing the full loop of the trail required that we bring our own water and safety supplies.

  Andrew's invitation for this day trip came the night before as a pleasant surprise. We hadn't run into each other during the week. Since last weekend's debacle with Leo and Hugo, I had been tending to a grave melancholy. Logically, I had understood what happened and realized I could learn from it. Emotionally, however, the betrayal pierced me deeper than it should have and I punished myself for being so foolish and gullible by spending my evenings locked away in my duplex unit and listening to music. When Andrew had knocked on my door to borrow ketchup, I must have appeared despondent. He told me I looked terrible and asked what had happened. I wasn't up for a discussion and so I just told Andrew I had plodded through a tough week. That's when he mentioned Saturday was his day off and I should join him outdoors during what was likely the peak weekend to experience the changing autumn colors.

  The highlight of the nature trail was a lengthy stretch on a sandbar. Limestone cliffs bordered sharp turns in the river. The water was crystal clear and clean. Andrew stuck his hand in and watched the currents flow past him. I joined him, crouching down beside the river, letting my fingertips feel how ice cold the river had already become so far in advance of the winter season.

  We found a scenic vista on a hilltop clearing and sat down for a languid lunch. Despite spending most of the day with Andrew in silence, I didn't sense any distance from him. Somehow I knew we were both profoundly enjoying the day and aware that we were comfortable in each other's presence. We ate pita wraps and tortellini pasta salad, accompanied with sparkling water and squares of baklava so smothered in honey that our fingers became sticky.

  With full bellies, we both leaned back against a boulder and gazed over the miles of forest stretching out as far the eye could see under a perfectly blue sky. We sat shoulder to shoulder, content to rest while our stomachs digested lunch.

  "I love this time of year," Andrew said. He spoke in a quiet tone and I imagined his eyes were likely half closed, like mine.

  "Thank you for including me today," I replied. "I have heard about this park, but I hadn't come here before."

  "You needed this."

  "I did."

  "It's the renewal. Just like the woods. And the seasons. People need renewal, too."

  I chuckled and said, "I need renewal and betterment."

  "Everyone does."

  "Well, especially me." I hoped my self-deprecating words did not seem to request pity. I didn't want to taint this special day.

  "Kieran, you went back to the truck stop, to that thug who gave you his number, didn't you? Tom, was it?"

  "No, I didn't. But I did something foolish, though it wasn't with Tom."

  A minute or two passed without further discussion. I was fine with leaving it at that. At the moment, I liked being able to summarize what happened to me with Leo as simply "something foolish." But Andrew challenged me further.

  "It hurts to lose innocence, doesn't it?" Andrew asked.

  "Why do you frame it that way?" I inquired.

  "Because everybody experiences this. Whatever the details, which can play out in a million ways, it boils down to something basic. The loss of innocence."

  "I thought books had prepared me for most life experiences. I was wrong."

  "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

  "I'm embarrassed by it."

  "Sure, that's part of the process. One day I'll tell you the stupid things I did years ago. No one is immune to this. My perspective is that we have to tackle instances where people abuse us, neglect us, exploit us, mislead us, and degrade us. You grow from the pain, learning what to avoid and what standards to set for yourself, and that's integral to becoming a healthy and wise adult."

  Andrew's words comforted me. I repeated them in my mind to hold onto them. I watched a flock of birds in the distance. They were packed together tight, from my vantage point, and gracefully flying and
pivoting in unison.

  "In other words, you're not alone, Kieran."

  "You are helping me today more than you know," I said.

  "Why don't you just get it off your chest and tell me what happened? You've already told me about the guys at the truck stop. Complete the picture and I bet you'll feel better."

  In the spirit of the openness Andrew encouraged from me, I did tell him everything. I stuck to the facts. I thought if I tried to justify every move I had made then he would have seen right through my justifications and judged me for trying to manipulate him. It wasn't a time to cover my ass and make excuses. I finished the story and waited for his response.

  Andrew stood up and heaved the backpack over his shoulders.

  "What do you think?" I asked, following his lead.

  We returned to the trail and began descending the hill. "Before I answer you, let me ask you something first," Andrew said. "What did you realize while you shared that story with me?"

  "I don't know. Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought it was. It seemed less dire as I told you about it."

  "Right."

  "But tell me I'm an idiot. I can't accept this and repeat painful, perhaps dangerous mistakes."

  "No, don't get sidetracked. You realized that you were betrayed. So what? It's an inescapable part of human life. What can you do? Decide not to betray others and protect yourself better from people who harbor hidden agendas."

  "I can do that."

  "Of course you can."

  We wrapped up the idyllic trip by completing the hike, had pancakes and hash browns at a nearby family-style restaurant that serves breakfast all day long, and started the hour-long trip back to the duplex in soothing twilight. While he drove, Andrew ended up sharing an abundant amount of personal information about himself. He began with favorite tales from the tattoo parlor and what he likes best when working with clients.

  Andrew also revealed details about his relationship with Willow, his girlfriend, and how they had been dating for about six months. I asked how long they had been monogamous.

  "Oh, Willow and I are not committed," he answered.

  "You see other people?"

  "We do. It's mostly her dating others. For me, it occasionally happens."

  "You don't get jealous?" I asked.

  "At weak moments, sure. But we don't own each other. Willow has been dating another guy for the past year, twice as long as she's been with me. Neither of us are in the mindset of making a serious commitment to anyone else. Why do you look so flustered?"

  "Last week during our talk you mentioned that cheating had ruined your marriage."

  "It did."

  "So it would seem that playing the field when dating someone for a long period of time would conjure up old wounds."

  "But dating other people, or just having sex with other people, is not cheating. Willow and I are both honest with each other about all of this. We keep no secrets."

  "I'm blown away," I admitted. Andrew spoke so matter-of-factly that I really believed him when he said he was able to live an open lifestyle without succumbing to jealousy.

  "Can I make a suggestion for you, Kieran?"

  "Please do."

  "Forget about truck stops, group showers, and anonymous strangers."

  "But you don't understand my loneliness."

  "Everyone understands loneliness. It's not unique to you. My suggestion is to stop the chase. Don't try to force sexual experiences to happen. Instead, keep yourself open to being with people who are kind and attractive, and who interest you in more ways than just physical attraction, and pay close attention to whether the other person is nurturing or just all about taking as much as they can from you without reciprocation. Are you hearing me?"

  "I wish that advice applied to me, but I'm not sure it does," I said.

  "Why not?"

  "You're straight and I'm gay."

  "Correction. I am bisexual. I think most people are. I am mostly straight, but I am bi. You are mostly gay, but probably bi, too. My opinion is you can just toss all the labels out the window. Personally, I don't have any use for them. If others do, then that's fine. Everybody gets to make their own path and embrace their own identities. No one else gets to do that for you."

  "I had no idea that you swing both ways, or whatever it's called."

  Andrew laughed. "Tattoo artists can't be bi?"

  His laugh was contagious. The mood instantly lightened and I smiled. "There are all kinds of surprises happening today."

  "Do you see now that my suggestion does apply to you?"

  "I do."

  "So you can stop chasing sex?"

  I answered Andrew's question with an honest inquiry of my own. "What if I decide to let everything happen naturally, but nobody wants to be with me?"

  "If your attitude is positive and open, then that scenario won't happen. You're a good-looking and interesting guy. You are easy to be around. You don't put on airs or make false claims. Your humility is agreeable. I think you will be amazed what you bring to yourself."

  I spent the rest of the drive mulling his encouragement. Andrew's notion was that we pull people toward ourselves, based on our energy and attitudes. This was new to me. He made me feel I really had the power to make myself happy and fulfilled.

  We parked behind the duplex. I thanked Andrew for an especially meaningful day and we embraced before heading to our individual units. I unpacked my backpack, changed into loose and comfortable clothes, and turned on some music.

  Minutes later, I found myself standing at Andrew's door and knocking. He opened it and lifted his eyebrows.

  "I don't want our day together to end," I confessed.

  Chapter 13

  Andrew's eyes, no longer light green but emerald in color from the muted light, studied my face. He stood in his doorway, hesitating and expressionless, holding a can of beer.

  Embarrassed that I had exposed my feelings for him, I turned and retreated to my unit. Moments later, Andrew let himself inside my unit, stood behind my couch where I was seated, and gently rubbed my shoulders. His hands were warm and generous, moving as if he were polishing something valuable. My head and neck relaxed, melting to his touch.

  "I thoroughly enjoyed our day, too," he said.

  "Thank you for understanding me," I replied.

  "Let's get you relaxed. Would you like more of this?"

  "Please."

  "Lay on your back."

  While I stretched out on my sofa, Andrew removed his boots and turned off the lights in the room. He knelt on the floor at my side, massaging my body without the slightest bit of hurry, moving down to my hips and legs. Andrew peeled my socks away and stroked my feet, pushing his fingertips through the gaps between my toes. It gave me the sensation he was already inside me and I groaned my approval.

  When Andrew completed my massage, I sat upright and reached for him to return the caresses. But he lowered the hand I had reached out to him with, setting it at my side, signaling he wanted to continue pleasuring me. Crouched in front of the sofa, between my spread legs, Andrew kissed me on the mouth. I clutched his back, holding him close, mesmerized by his sweet taste tinged with a hint of beer, as his tongue probed my mouth.

  "What would you like, Kieran?" He had stopped kissing me, but continued to hold his face close to mine. His voice was barely louder than a whisper.

  "For this to happen."

  "Take me to your bedroom."

  We moved beside my bed, still cloaked in darkness, but faint beams from a nearby street light pierced through my bedroom window and illuminated our bodies. I crawled to my knees and undressed Andrew. His swollen manhood bulged his boxer briefs down and outward, forming an arc, and I pressed my face against it, feeling its power and growth. When I pulled his underwear down, his erection sprung out and bobbed an inch away from my lips.

  Before I could take Andrew in my mouth, he maneuvered behind me and undressed me. Submitting to his touch, I reclined on my bed and rolled onto my stomach. The tip
of Andrew's tongue traced lines down my back, to the crack of my rump, and his fingers titillated the fleshy gap between my hole and scrotum.

  I arched my back, begging for more.

  "Condom and lube?" he asked me.

  "I don't have them." Regret that I wasn't prepared poured over me. I desperately wanted to have Andrew fully inside me. "I'm sorry."

  "We don't have to do everything the first night." The palm of his hands pressed against my hip, gesturing for me to flip onto my back, which I did. "There's no harm in saving good things for other nights."

  Hearing Andrew suggest that we would have more intimacy together was as stimulating as anything else that had happened between us. A joy surged through my body, like chills, but with greater intensity. I was bursting with hope.

  Andrew arranged himself between my legs and bent his face down to watch me throb, fully stiff and reaching upward toward him, while he worked my nipples between his thumbs and index fingers. When I could stand it no more, overcome with longing, I gyrated my hips in a spiral motion and entered Andrew's mouth. His tongue fondled the contours of my crown and shaft, taking as much of me inside as he could. I spread my legs far apart, giving him all, and he sucked me so slowly that I felt every movement and sensation.

  I lost track of time. I woke from a hypnotic-like state, still inside Andrew's mouth and close to reaching my climax. I put two fingers on his forehead to stop him. I didn't really want the pleasure to end, but I wanted Andrew to see the one remarkable sexual talent I knew I had. I could shoot like a geyser. Andrew intensified nipple play with one hand and played with the hairs on my balls with his other hand, ushering me to the brink. I cried out and lobbed spurts of seed that jettisoned onto my headboard, then on my chin and chest.

  As the shaking of my body diminished, Andrew pushed his fingers into my semen. He tasted me and put his finger between my lips to have me taste myself. Fully expended, my arms collapsed outwards at my side. I couldn't believe his attention had not been on his own pleasure, but on mine.