by Sky Winters
He had always felt like he belonged more in a more rural area. He’d been born outside of New York and moved to the city as a child. His parents were wealthy, but had disowned him when they’d found out he was gay. He’d gotten past that years ago, realizing he didn’t need them if they couldn’t accept who he truly was. It was better for him to strike out on his own, and every time his parents heard his name on the radio, they would remember that their son wasn’t a fuckup in the eyes of anyone but themselves.
After a long flight and two layovers, Lewis was finally in the Ozark mountains. As soon as he stepped off the plane he could tell the difference between the air quality in the mountains versus the air in New York. There was no smog here. And nobody was begging for change. In New York, he would have had to weave through the beggars and stop in to donate to the local shelter. But there weren’t any homeless shelters here. Apparently there didn’t need to be any.
A rental car was waiting for him at the airport and he hastily filled out the paperwork. Throwing his suitcase in the back, he got in. By all rights, he should have felt exhausted, but instead he really felt like heading to the bar to drown his sorrows. Even though he knew that he was better off without Peter in the long run, he had still wasted two years of his life on a person he had been hoping to make a more significant commitment to. It was devastating, in a way, to know that Peter had probably been doing things like this right from the start. This wasn’t the first long trip Lewis had taken during their relationship.
Lewis was shocked by how tiny the town was, and found the bar nearly right away. It was a small, out of the way establishment, with a rustic look and comforting feel. Lewis parked the rental car and headed inside, not sure what to expect.
The lights were dim and there were bikers scattered throughout the bar. All of them were dressed in leather and turned their dark, serious eyes onto Lewis. He waved meekly and made his way to a stool at the bar and sat down heavily.
“Whiskey please,” he said.
The bartender came to him with glittering eyes and grinned. “New here?” he asked, sliding a shot of whiskey to Lewis.
“Very,” he said with a sigh. “My flight just arrived.”
“Ohhh,” the bartender said, tapping the bar with his fingers. He looked a little bit mean and Lewis wasn’t sure he wanted to talk to him. “Interesting. You don’t happen to know the rules here then, do you?”
“Leave him alone, Ernie,” a deep, masculine voice spoke out from behind Lewis. Lewis was startled and turned around to face the man who had defended him. He was tall, rugged, and handsome, with menacing brown eyes and thick, dark hair that was wild and unkempt, but in an attractive sort of way. His face was covered in a thick five o’clock shadow. There were men in New York who would have spent hundreds of dollars for that look, but on this man it seemed to be his natural state of being. And it was extremely sexy.
“What’s your name?” the man asked, lowering himself beside Lewis. He smelled of cedar wood and fresh air, as if he had just come in from outside. The man’s arms were bare, and he wore only a leather vest with a bear’s paw print on the back of it. His arms were thick and muscular, full of tattoos. Lewis did everything he could to avoid looking at the bulge in the man’s tight jeans. He turned his eyes to his drink, clearing his throat before he answered.
“I’m Lewis.”
“Lewis huh?” the man snorted, grabbing an unopened beer from the bartender and popping the bottle cap off with his bare hands. “Sounds like your parents must have been snobs.”
Lewis laughed, delighted by the man’s honesty. “Try present tense.”
“Ouch,” the man said, his handsome face breaking out into a smile. He offered his beer bottle to Lewis for a toast and Lewis clinked his shot glass against it.
“My name is Jake,” the man said, after a long swig of beer. “Why’re you here?”
Lewis was used to making small talk with strangers, but this question struck him as odd. It was as if he was being protective of turf that Lewis wasn’t entirely welcome in. And from the way the other bikers in the bar were staring at him, he wouldn’t be surprised if that was truly the case.
“I’m a writer,” Lewis said reluctantly, gesturing to the bartender for another shot. The bartender glowered at him, but when Jake raised his eyebrow at the man, he reluctantly poured the shot and slid it to Lewis.
“Thanks,” Lewis said.
The bartender said nothing, just sneered and turned his back on the men, walking to the other end of the bar to wait on three bikers who were staring at them with the same look of resentment as everybody else.
“A writer, huh?” Jake said with a low whistle. “Most of the guys in here can barely string a sentence together. That’s pretty impressive.”
The intensity of the glares increased but nobody said anything back to Jake. Lewis shifted nervously. Maybe he should leave.
“Are you published in anything?”
Lewis couldn’t tell if this man was being sincere or if he was just trying to lure him into some kind of trap. He was so handsome that Lewis wanted to believe that he was being sincere. But previous experience had proved that if a tough guy sensed any of his gay vibe, it could result in some serious physical harm. Maybe it would be better if he just disengaged from the conversation.
But when he tried to say he was leaving, the man’s gentle brown eyes kept Lewis captive in his seat. There seemed to be nothing malicious at all about him. He was genuinely interested in Lewis’s work. And for some reason, Lewis really wanted him to be.
“Actually, I’m really successful in my field. So yes. I’m in newspapers and magazines quite frequently.”
“What do you write about?” Jake asked.
“Whatever it is that my editor wants me to. Usually if he knows it’s something I’m passionate about. That’s when I do my best work.”
“So then, Lewis, what is it that you’re passionate about here?”
Was that a seductive gleam in the man’s eye? A flirtatious tone in his voice? Lewis couldn’t be sure. But usually, when a man was interested in him, it was safer to find out in the city, surrounded by other friends who could protect him. Out in the country, with all these angry looking tough guys, Lewis could easily find himself in major trouble.
“Well, I was assigned here because of the black bears being reintroduced in the mountains. I’m supposed to get some feedback from the locals and learn what I can about how the efforts are going. Whether or not it’s successful. Maybe chronical as much of the transition as possible…”
Lewis trailed off as his mind wandered back to Peter. When he’d left Mexico, he had been hoping to lie low back in the condo for a few months and spend some much needed time having his carnal desires catered to by the person who was supposed to love him. Lewis was exhausted. Traveling constantly could be really tiring. Sometimes he just felt lost without having anywhere to go to call home and feel settled. And god, he was horny.
“That’s fascinating,” Jake said, his eyes suddenly hard for some reason. Had Lewis said something wrong? “I’m quite interested in the efforts myself.”
“Oh?”
“But enough about that,” Jake said, moving closer to Lewis. “It looks like there’s something on your mind.”
Lewis cringed. How had the man been able to tell?
“No…”
“Come on,” Jake said. “It looks like you haven’t slept in days. And now you’re here taking shots alone in a strange town you’ve never been to. Tell me what’s really going on with you.”
Lewis took a deep, shuddering breath. Could he really trust this man with his sorrows? Jake was staring at him, one eyebrow raised and his handsome face lit with anticipation. Lewis wasn’t sure he could refuse.
“My…relationship broke up,” he said carefully. “I found the person I was with, with another man.”
“Oh,” Jake said with a frown. “Sorry to hear that.”
“Yeah. I always thought it was going to be easier whe
n you found someone. You would think after two years, he—”
Lewis cringed. He’d let the cat out of the bag. But maybe Jake hadn’t noticed.
“So it’s a he, then,” Jake said. “I thought so.”
“It’s not what you…” Lewis stood, knocking over his empty shot glass in a clumsy attempt to get away from Jake. But Jake just watched him scrambling away, a wry smile playing his lips.
“Men can be so fickle,” he said, slipping off his stool and facing Lewis.
Jake was about half a foot taller and Lewis peered up into his eyes, unsure of what to expect. Everybody in the bar was watching them closely, and Jake took a look around the room. He sighed, then put his hand on Lewis’ shoulder.
“Why don’t we go outside and get some fresh air for a few minutes,” Jake said.
“All right,” Lewis said nervously. He didn’t have the muscle he needed to refuse.
Maybe it would be safer out in the open away from the other men in the bar. He wouldn’t have to worry so much about getting jumped, at least.
“Over here,” Jake said, walking to the back of the bar parking lot, beyond the area where Lewis had parked his rental car. Lewis gasped when they reached an area that looked out over the mountains. He had never seen a view quite so beautiful. The moon was a clear silver over the trees, and Jake pointed out toward a specific mountain range.
“I heard that’s where they’ll be,” Jake said, looking into Lewis’ eyes.
His heart drummed in his chest. He hated how attracted he was to this rugged man. But on the other hand, Lewis was feeling a little nervous, staying aware in case anybody came to ambush him. He couldn’t be too careful, even if he wanted to relax with this handsome man and enjoy the view before him.
But Jake moved closer to him and once again Lewis was overpowered by his delicious, spicy aroma. Lewis had never been so near to anybody that made him feel so comfortable before. But it was a reluctant comfort. He wanted more than anything to trust that this handsome man could be legitimately kind and understanding, even if he was gay. But that wasn’t always the case and he was scared.
“I’m sorry about your boyfriend,” Jake said after a moment of silence, looking out over the mountains.
“Thanks,” Lewis said. “But he’s my ex. And honestly, I’m better off without him. I knew what he was like from the start but…I guess I let myself get blinded by what I wanted and thought he could be. Stopped paying attention to what he is.”
“That happens,” Jake said with a short laugh. “I guess there’s a reason I don’t date much. Not a lot of guys out there who get me.”
“Guys?” Lewis asked, a little too eagerly. He hated how into this man he was. He wasn’t usually the type to fall fast and hard for anybody, but somehow this man was irresistible. And he hadn’t been with a man in months. It was long past time. He felt like he would have done anything to get into bed with this man. And it was a feeling that scared him a little bit. He didn’t like to think that he was anything like the superficial gay men he’d met that couldn’t commit.
But he had already proven to himself that he was nothing like that. Was it really so wrong to want a quick release after a terrible experience? It made him feel sick that the last person who had touched him had probably touched tens of other men not long before or after. He needed to cleanse. It was time for him to purify. And maybe being with another man was exactly what he needed.
“Surprised?” Jake asked, smiling at Lewis.
“More like relieved, I think,” Lewis said, laughing and looking up at the sky. Missouri was full of beautiful, twinkling stars. He couldn’t remember the last time he had felt so at home in a place where he could see the sky. He had loved the way the sky looked in Mexico, but he was hardly comfortable there. If he hadn’t been exploring oil spills in the gulf, he probably would have preferred to stay home. But the world had the right to know, and they all trusted Lewis Olsen to tell them the truth about environmental issues.
“Where are you from?” Jake asked, his eyes twinkling at Lewis.
Lewis grinned. “New York City.”
Lewis was itching for a cigarette. He always did when he drank. But he had quit years ago. He couldn’t truly call himself an environmentalist if he was polluting the planet all of his own free will every couple of hours.
“Then you’re a long way from home,” Jake said. Before Lewis had a chance to reply, Jake’s mouth was pressed against his own and a hot flood of desire gripped Lewis where he stood.
He was overwhelmed by his lust and didn’t have the willpower to fight Jake’s advances. Even if this was some strange trick being played on him by the Midwestern bikers, he didn’t care. The man’s lips felt too good, charged with some kind of irresistible electricity that nearly brought Lewis to his knees.
When they broke apart, Jake grinned.
“What would you say about a bike ride?” he asked slyly, gesturing to one of the motorcycles in the parking lot.
“Really?”
Lewis had never been on a motorcycle before. The prospect filled him with a childlike excitement.
“But haven’t you been drinking?” Lewis said, trying to keep his head on straight. The two shots had gotten him feeling pretty good, and he had no idea how long Jake had been at the bar.
“One beer ain’t shit,” Jake laughed, and Lewis was captivated by the man’s perfect smile, and even, white teeth.
“All right,” he murmured, surprising himself with his willingness to get on the bike with a perfect stranger. “Where are we going?”
“Wherever the wind takes us,” Jake said, leading him to the motorcycle and tossing him a helmet. “Get on.”
Lewis climbed on the back of the bike and Jake straddled the seat in front of him, kicking the bike into gear.
“Let’s ride.”
Chapter 4
As they rode the bike through the winding mountain roads, Lewis couldn’t help but feel terrified. He gripped onto Jake’s broad chest as they sped down roads that overlooked rocky canyons and miles and miles of beautiful forest. If they took just one wrong turn, they would be goners.
For the first ten minutes, fear gripped Lewis’ heart, until finally Jake glanced back at him in the rearview mirror.
“Are you doing okay back there?” he asked, smiling broadly.
“Y-yeah,” Lewis replied. It was partially true. He was really enjoying the feeling of the open road beneath them. The way the bike moved so quickly that it almost felt like they were flying. Soon, the fear gave way to an entirely new feeling—a feeling of liberation and excitement. Release, in a way.
Lewis, who was feeling buzzed but not quite drunk from the large shots of whiskey he’d received, allowed his brain to fuzzily process the situation that he was in. He was on the back of a motorcycle with a ridiculously gorgeous man who looked like he’d just walked right off the cover of some outdoorsman magazine.
Any of the men he hung out with in New York would be insanely jealous of Lewis if they knew what was going on. And although it was nice to know that people would envy him, it didn’t really matter. Those materialistic and superficial people were thousands of miles away. It was time for Lewis to just enjoy himself without worrying about anybody else for a change. He was going to just worry about himself from now on.
***
When the ride finally ended, Lewis realized that they had stopped at a remote wooden cabin. Jake dismounted and held his hand out to Lewis to help him get off the bike. They stumbled into each other, laughing. Lewis’ legs were shaky, but he had never had more fun in his life.
“Easy there,” Jake said, his dark eyes twinkling.
He held Lewis closely, his strong hands gripping his hips firmly. Soon, Lewis could feel Jake’s stubble against his cheek and his soft lips pressing firmly against his own.
“I missed this,” Lewis said, pulling away and panting. “Are you sure you want to?”
“Are you kidding?” Jake laughed, kissing Lewis again. “Do I look like I
do anything I don’t want to do?”
A deep thrill electrified Lewis as he was swept away in the sensual pleasures of Jake’s tongue. Jake wasted no time pushing Lewis inside the cabin, maneuvering them inside without removing his lips. They were soon stumbling through a small living room, cluttered with bookshelves, full to the brim. Lewis made a note to comment on them the second their mouths broke and he was ready for some conversation.
Suddenly, Jake shoved his hands down Lewis’ pants and gave his cock a quick squeeze. Lewis forgot everything else he was thinking as he was shocked into a deep pleasure unlike anything he’d ever experienced before. He’d enjoyed the company of multiple men, including the two year mistake he had experienced with Peter, but none of them had ever touched him the way Jake was touching him now. It was almost as if Jake had some sort of strange power or thrall that none of the other men in his life had.
Lewis moaned out loud when Jake’s other hand slid under his shirt and pulled it off, and his mouth moved from Lewis’ and onto his nipple. Soon, they were kissing passionately and Jake was forcefully stripping the clothes from Lewis’ body.
He cried out in ecstasy when Jake flipped him around and pinned him against the wall, showering his back with fervent, enthusiastic kisses as he started taking off his own clothes, letting them drop to the floor. Lewis felt a sudden thrill as Jake pressed the length of his cock against his ass. It was bigger than he had expected, possibly the biggest he had ever felt.
Lewis moaned when Jake reached around and gripped Lewis’ hard member in his hands and gave it a forceful tug. Tendrils of pleasure shot into Lewis’ abdomen and a hot pleasure took him by surprise as Jake buried the head of his cock inside of Lewis. Lewis broke out in goosebumps when Jake grunted with pleasure. It was the most animalistic sound he’d ever heard, and it aroused Lewis so deeply that he released a long strand of precum right into Jake’s hand.