Always His

by James, J. P.

  NeighborBoy: I’ve been thinking. Maybe if you’re up for it, we could meet in person sometime?

  I gawp at my screen. There’s nothing I want to do more, but where would we meet? His mom’s house? My house? The ladies stalking me would see him immediately, and tongues would start to wag.

  HotandHung: I’d love to, but where would we go?

  He hesitates for a moment.

  NeighborBoy: There’s a burger restaurant a few towns over. No one from my city goes over there. I only know about it because my mom and I stopped there a few years ago to grab something to eat on our way home from visiting my grandparents. No one will recognize us there.

  My fingers hover over the keyboard as guilt floods my mind. I should say no, and tell him that it would be best if we ended things between us now. But before I can do the right thing, I quickly type a reply and hit send.

  HotandHung: Sounds good. I’m free next Friday. Does that work for you?

  I didn’t want to give myself the chance to decline his offer. The opportunity is just too tempting. Meeting NeighborBoy in person? The man who gives me hot orgasms, one right after another? Yes, please.

  Plus, this distant burger joint is a good idea. I don’t want people to see me with an obviously younger man. Otherwise, simple tasks like going to the grocery store make you feel like you’re some sort of beast. Women quickly snatch their children up in their arms like there’s a murderer running around the building. I totally get it, but that just isn’t me. What happened was a mistake, but I don’t want to let it ruin my life forever.

  Suddenly, my cell vibrates again, and eagerly, I read his message.

  NeighborBoy: Friday sounds good. The place is called Burger Bistro, and it’s off route eighty-seven in Lakewood. I’ll send you the exact address in a few.

  HotandHung: Okay, great. How about we meet at seven?

  Somehow, being with him makes my worries fade away to the back of my mind. All I can think about now is our upcoming meet. I can’t wait, and my cock hardens at the thought. Then again, maybe we should keep a low profile on this date. At least until we know for sure whether or not we’re ready to move forward with our relationship. How do people do this?

  My cell phone screen lights up as another message pops up on the screen.

  NeighborBoy: Seven is good for me. By the way, the address is 56 Park Avenue, Lakewood.

  HotandHung: Okay, got it. Looking forward.

  NeighborBoy: Me too. It’ll be nice to finally meet in person. Quick question though: how will I know it’s you?

  HotandHung: Good point. Just look for the guy wearing a gray sweater. Hopefully there won’t be more than one lol.

  NeighborBoy: Gray sweater, gotcha. Can’t wait.

  HotandHung: Me neither.

  NeighborBoy: I’m gonna get some rest now. I have school in the morning.

  HotandHung: Alright, sweet dreams, pretty boy.

  NeighborBoy: Same to you :).

  And that’s that. Closing our conversation, I log out of the app before grabbing a towel to wipe up my semen from earlier. Man, ever since sexting with NeighborBoy, I’ve been going through so many towels. It’s all for a good cause though, and a devilish smile crosses my face.

  Finally done, I put on clean sheets and climb back into the bed. Closing my eyes, I try to fall asleep, but it’s impossible. Our upcoming date keeps popping into my mind. What will he look like? Handsome, definitely. If I could choose anyone, he’ll look like my sweet neighbor Jake, with the chestnut brown hair and warm caramel eyes. He’ll be toned, tanned and athletic, but not overly bulky. He’ll have a genuine smile and a giving side that lets me do whatever I want to him. Is that too much to ask? Maybe, but there’s only one way to find out.

  9

  Vance

  Carefully, I drag a razor along the side of my face, leaving a smooth surface behind. After a long and grueling week of tending to multiple gardens in the area, it’s finally Friday. The day I’ve been waiting for. Burger Bistro is about a half hour away and it’s a quarter after six now, so I’ve got to hurry up. I don’t want to be late the first time NeighborBoy and I meet in person. Not after the hot virtual sex we’ve had.

  Finishing up, I take a wet washcloth and wipe away the excess shaving cream. I dab some aftershave onto my face, and then stride into my bedroom. Luckily, I laid out my clothes before showering. Grabbing the jeans off the bed, I slip into the pair, and then quickly toss my gray sweater on. Does this look decent? I hope so. I also hope that no one else shows up to the Burger Bistro wearing a gray sweater. That would be so fucking ironic.

  But I can’t wait to meet my NeighborBoy. Maybe our eyes will connect and flames will erupt. Maybe I’ll get a hard on, right then and there. Maybe I’m just dreaming, and the whole thing will be a letdown.

  Honestly, I’m just praying he doesn’t get cold feet and decide not to show. I mean, it’s possible. He’s eighteen and not exactly a worldly guy. Plus, blind dates can scare anyone.

  Sighing heavily, I push these negative thoughts to the back of my mind. Tonight needs to be perfect, so I decide to focus on the future. All that matters right now is that I’ll finally get to meet the man whom I’ve been sexting with. It’s pretty awesome if you think about it.

  Reaching for my favorite bottle of cologne, I spray some lightly on my neck and chest. I walk over to the mirror and run my fingers through my charcoal hair. Good. Every strand is in place, and I think I’m finally ready to go. I’m a confident guy, so first dates generally don’t give me the jitters, but tonight feels different. It’s been five years since I was with someone, and this man actually means something to me too.

  Oh shit, it’s 6:30 pm. I have to leave now, or else I’m going to be late. Shoving my wallet into my pocket, I race toward the front door. Grabbing my car keys, I hurl myself into my car and rev the engine. The sun is just beginning to set on the cool fall night. The evening rush is just about over, so there shouldn’t be any traffic keeping me from my date. I slam the car door shut, when suddenly an unwanted voice sounds.

  “Hi, Vance!” comes that deadly trill. Damnit, not now! It’s Elena Martin again, ready to sexually harass me for only the millionth time. Why can’t this woman take a hint?

  “Hi, Elena,” I reply grimly. Can’t she see I’m in a rush?

  “Where are you off to?” she asks while sauntering over. Again, it’s an exaggerated walk, like she’s a fashion model on the runway. Except she’s not. She’s a forty year old over-the-hill wannabe sexpot. Ugh.

  “Hey, I’m meeting up with a friend,” I reply, trying to keep my cool. “I’m late.”

  “This friend wouldn’t happen to be a woman, would it?” she says with a tinge of nastiness.

  I take a deep breath.

  “For your information, my friend is a man,” I say, hoping that’ll get her off my back. Unfortunately, it has the opposite effect on her. Her eyes light up as she moves in on me like a cat cornering a mouse.

  “I’m sure he isn’t half as good looking as you are,” she coos, scratching at my arm with those damn claws again. My jaw clenches.

  “Sometimes looks aren’t everything,” I respond. Elena giggles.

  “See, I knew I liked you for a reason. You’re such a sweet, sensitive, and kind man. The kind of guy every woman dreams of,” she says, batting her fake eyelashes. God, those things look scary on her face. They remind me of spider legs.

  “Thanks,” I say curtly. “I gotta go. See ya, Elena.”

  But she hasn’t given up hope yet and clings to my arm through the car window.

  “What are your plans after dinner tonight?” she asks desperately.

  “I’m not sure yet,” I reply, staring at her hand pointedly.

  “Well if you’re not busy afterwards, you should stop by for a drink. My son is heading out soon, so I’ll be home all alone,” she says with another devious smile.

  Oh shit. I think she’d have a heart attack if she knew I was gay. Honestly, I don’t understand how th
e women of Milford haven’t realized it yet. I mean, isn’t it obvious? A straight guy would have slept with them all by now, so the fact that I haven’t shown interest should be a sign, right? But somehow, it completely goes over their heads.

  Suddenly, a creak sounds and I glance over at Elena’s house. Oh shit, it’s her son Jake coming out. He’s absolutely tempting, wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans. Toned and athletic, with a sweet, innocent way about him. I try to look away, but I can’t. He’s absolutely mesmerizing.

  This is nuts! I’m a grown ass man acting like a dog in heat. I should be able to control myself. Quickly, I look away and tune back into what Elena is saying. She stares with a simpering smile while still batting those cakey lashes.

  “So what do you say?” she coos again.

  “I’ll let you know,” is my grunted reply. I glance behind her once more to catch another glimpse of Jake, but he’s already gone. “See ya.”

  “I sure hope so,” she trills with a flutter of her hand.

  With that, I rev the engine again and back the car out of the driveaway, flashing her one last forced smile. Why is she so obsessed with me, anyways? Is it because I live next door? More likely, it’s because I’m the only man she hasn’t slept with here in Milford. She won’t be satisfied until she gets me into bed, but that’ll never happen.

  I take off into the night, cruising down the quiet suburban streets. The closer I get to the Burger Bistro, the faster my heart beats. I’m only moments away from coming face to face with NeighborBoy, and can’t wait.

  Glancing at the GPS, suddenly I realize I’m going to be late. Fuck. This is exactly what I wanted to avoid. This is all Elena’s fault. That damn bitch woman and her nosy ways. I’m really starting to get sick of her. Every time I turn around, she’s throwing herself at me. I don’t know how much more I can take. Now to top it off, she’s made me late to my first date in five years.

  Frustrated, I drive faster, trying to get to him in time. I don’t want to keep him waiting. Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I race down the highway. I’m only ten minutes away, but I plan on making it there in half the time. Putting the pedal to the metal, I zip through other cars and pull into the parking lot of Burger Bistro. As I search for a free parking space, a knot forms in my gut. This place is packed tonight.

  NeighborBoy said no one from Milford comes here, but what if he was wrong? This seems like a pretty popular place, and just the thought of seeing another Milford resident here makes me sick to my stomach. Should we go somewhere else instead? Maybe a small cafe in the next town over? I can’t be seen with a high school student, even if he is eighteen. Not with my criminal record.

  Finally, I pull into a parking spot at the end of the lot. The gut churning feeling only seems to get worse as I stare at the entrance. Is NeighborBoy here? What if people see us? If rumors start circulating around town, I could always just leave and live somewhere else. But what about him? Where’s an eighteen year old boy going to go if he’s tossed out on his ass?

  Fuck it. We have to take the risk. I’d rather deal with rumors, than spend the rest of my life wondering what if. I refuse to miss out on potential happiness because of my past mistakes. Taking a deep breath, I push open the car door. As long as NeighborBoy is legally an adult, I’m not doing anything wrong. Slamming the car door shut, I march towards the restaurant entrance.

  Each step causes my heart race. Oh shit, am I doing the right thing? Pushing the door open, I stare out into the crowded dining room. Uh oh. He could be any of the young men in this room, and there’s got to be at least thirty men in here right now. How am I supposed to find him?

  “Can I help you, sir?” a petite woman wearing a uniform asks.

  “I’m just looking for a friend,” I reply.

  “Maybe I can help? What’s their name?” she asks.

  My body goes hot all over from embarrassment.

  “I’m not sure,” is my mumble. She stares at me a bit puzzled. I know it doesn’t make sense, but it’s true. I don’t know what NeighborBoy’s real name is. Heaving a sigh, I explain.

  “We’re meeting here for a blind date. A friend set us up and didn’t really give me any details about the guy,” I say, thinking quick on my feet.

  She smiles sunnily. “Ah, gotcha. Well you can wait for him at any one of those tables,” she says as she points to a couple booths lined against the wall.

  “Thanks,” I reply with a nod.

  I walk over to a table in the far corner and take a seat. The restaurant is packed, but so far, I haven’t seen anyone I recognize from Milford yet. That’s good. The coast seems clear, but where’s NeighborBoy? I expected to see him waiting for me here when I walked through the door. After all, I’m the one who’s late. Where is he?

  Nervously, I reach into my pocket and take out my phone. My fingers tap at the screen quickly as I log into ChatAttack. He’s offline right now, but he’ll still get an alert if I send him a message. We should have exchanged phone numbers days ago, but it honestly didn’t cross my mind. This damn dating app is the only way I can get in contact with him. I try to keep an open mind and assume he’s just running late, but as each minute passes, I lose hope. Holy fuck, am I being stood up?

  HotandHung: Hey, are you still coming?

  I press send and anxiously wait for his reply. Suddenly, the door opens, and my heart jumps. Could it be him? As I stare across the restaurant, my heart sinks into the pit of my stomach. Nope, it’s a man and a woman. The two lovebirds hold hands as they wait to be seated, as the waitress from before materializes by my side.

  “Your friend still hasn’t shown up yet?” she asks kindly.

  “No, not yet,” I reply.

  “I’m sure he’s just running late,” she assures me with a smile.

  “Maybe,” I say, wishing she’d go away.

  “How about I get you a glass of water while you wait?” she asks.

  “Um, sure thanks,” I reply.

  With that, the woman walks off, tray in hand.

  Meanwhile, I grow more and more nervous. Where the fuck is NeighborBoy? I swear, I’m never going on a date again if he doesn’t show. This is so fucking humiliating! Why did I ever agree to this? Suddenly, the door opens and I’m completely blown away by the gorgeous man standing there.

  10

  Jake

  I’m going to collapse. I should turn around and get right back inside the taxi, but it’s too late. The taxi’s already exiting the parking lot and pulling smoothly onto the street. I have to go through with this.

  I shouldn’t be so nervous, but still - what was I thinking? I’m Jake Martin, a dork who gets straight A’s. Not some suave guy who meets men off the internet. HotandHung is waiting inside for me right now and here I am out in the parking lot completely frozen in fear.

  A car whips past my paralyzed body as the driver honks with annoyance. I should probably get out of the middle of the parking lot, but my feet are planted like a statue. Oh shit.

  “Alright Jake, you’ve got this,” I mutter to myself. Taking a deep breath, I step forwards. The closer I get to the door, the faster my heart beats. The aroma of juicy beef patties hits me and makes me falter. Am I ready? No, definitely not.

  Finally, I step into the crowded, noisy restaurant. HotandHung said he’d be wearing a gray sweater. My eyes scour the restaurant in search of someone who fits the description.

  My eyes lock onto a middle-aged man wearing a gray sweater with salt and pepper hair and a protruding beer belly. My heart sinks into the pit of gut as I watch him stuff a triple decker burger into his mouth. Please don’t tell me that’s him! If so, I’ve been had. There’s definitely no six pack on that dude.

  I glance around desperately, hoping to find someone else wearing a gray sweater, but there’s no one. Holy crap. I can’t believe I’ve been had because this man is the complete opposite of HotandHung.

  That six-pack photo is either ten years old, or he stole it off the internet because he has a belly the si
ze of a pregnant woman ready to pop any minute. With tears in my eyes, I turn toward the door to leave. There’s no point in introducing myself. Clearly, he was lying to me this entire time, so I should just head home. I mean, I can’t believe this happened to me. I’ve heard of people pretending to be someone else on the internet, but still. No one thinks it’s going to happen to them. I guess I should have expected it from a guy who didn’t have a profile photo of his face.

  As I reach for the door handle, someone grabs my arm with a large warm hand. Caught by surprise, I whip around quickly to see my hot neighbor Vance. Uh oh. Why is he here? Oh shit, the fat guy is going to see me now, and Vance is going to witness the most humiliating encounter of my life. That overweight dude is going to act like we’re on a date, and Vance will realize I’m a loser. My life is over and I look around in panic. Is there another way out of here?

  But Vance looks unconcerned. Of course he is, he doesn’t realize my life is about to go up in flames.

  “Hey Jake. It’s good to see you,” he says in that sexy deep baritone. I practically melt into a puddle of nerves and lust.

  “It’s good to see you too,” I stammer, still panicked.

  “I saw you leaving your mom’s house earlier, but I had no idea you were coming to Burger Bistro too. What a coincidence. I’m sitting in a booth in the back. You wanna join?” he asks.

  Actually, I’d much rather get the hell out of here before my hair catches fire. I look over at the fat dude, and fortunately, he’s still cramming his face with a burger. Maybe I can make an escape.