“Hey! What’s this about?”
“Just follow me, and don’t act suspicious.”
How much longer would he be able to order Jack around like he did? The kid was smart, and getting more streetwise every day. Soon he wouldn’t need Nick to show him the ropes or tell him what to do.
“Oh geez, Nick. Please don’t tell me we’re walkin’ all the way to Hollywood.”
Nick couldn’t help but snicker. They’d be lucky if they got there in the next ten years if they did that.
“Jesus, no, Jack. Come on, let’s go down here, this looks like a good spot.”
Nick led Jack down a slight incline covered in gravel. Just below was the rail yard, and there were several good-looking possibilities. Nick still had their duffle, and Jack was in charge of the bag of doughnuts. It was a good thing they had washed their second set of clothing the day before they left—at the rate they were gathering dust, they were going to need them real soon.
But who knows how or when we’ll be able to wash them again. Better stick to our grimy duds until we make it out west.
“Let’s go hide over here—next to these box cars.”
They scrunched down, hidden by the dormant train.
“I don’t get it, Nick,” Jack whispered. “Why the hell are we down here?”
“Because we’re gonna hop a train or two to get to California.”
“What!”
Nick clamped his hand down on Jack’s mouth.
“Shush. See those guys over there? They’re the railroad bulls. If they catch us, they’ll take our money, or worse—shoot us.”
Jack trembled beneath Nick’s hand. He moved it away, and gathered Jack to his side, caressing and petting him.
“There, there, Jacky boy. I’ll protect you.”
“Please,” Jack whimpered. “Don’t make me do this. I’ll walk, Nick, I don’t care.”
Nick didn’t want to be cruel, but he didn’t have time to coddle Jack.
“There’s no choice. We either do this, stay in Philly or head back to New York to face Pearson.”
“Oh God.” Jack buried his face in Nick’s chest, and Nick felt like the most heartless man alive. But the ukulele player had given him all the tricks of the trade, and Nick felt confident they could make it work.
They huddled behind the cars for what seemed like forever, waiting for the precise moment to hop on board. At last the time came. Right when the men were changing shifts.
“Come on, Jack—follow me! Stay low.”
Nick held on tightly to Jack’s shirt sleeve, and dragged him along. They made it to an open boxcar filled with hay. Nick helped Jack climb on board, giving his rear a little push as he did. It was the worst possible time to dwell on how wonderful it felt to have his hand on Jack’s ass, but he savoured it for a few seconds before he jumped up and into the car himself. They dug around behind the hay, hiding themselves and their duffle as they did.
They got settled, and Nick could tell from Jack’s rapid breathing that he was as scared as hell.
“C’mere,” he whispered, and pulled Jack to him. Jack still trembled, and Nick soothed him with kisses and strokes, aching to take it further—but not daring until the train started to move. Nick checked his watch. It was late afternoon, and he had no idea when this particular one would get going—it had just fit the profile of a good one. The ukulele guy had told him shift changes and box cars were what to look for. It was also better if a train was at the beginning of its journey. He’d said they would have more time to ride it before it reached its destination. He’d even given him the name of the lines that travelled the farthest west. That way, they’d not have to hop as many trains. The fewer trains, the less likely they’d get caught by the bulls or the brakeman. The only other concern were ’bos. These were the career hobos who could get territorial over their cars. The less trouble they had with anyone, the better.
Jack lay in Nick’s arms. He was soothed by his warmth, the slow calming rate of his breathing, and the alluring aroma that was all Nick. He could also smell the hay all around him—that wasn’t bad, just different from what he was used to. He was more accustomed to the stench of burning coal, the heady mixture of competing food aromas, sewers, sweat and car exhaust that made up New York City. But he was grateful for the nice clean hay. It was cosy, and the perfect shield to keep him and Nick safe.
He was sure Nick was snoozing, and Jack not only didn’t want to wake him up, he didn’t want to give Nick any excuse to stop holding him.
This is what Heaven must really be like. To be comforted in the arms of the person you love more than anything or anyone else on earth.
Nick jerked awake and Jack tensed. There was a lot of noise all of a sudden. Men were yelling all around them, hissing sounds alerted them that their carrier was coming to life.
Nick held Jack tighter.
“Not a peep,” he whispered.
They lay perfectly still as the loud exclamations died down, and there was a quick jump, then slow roll as the train at last moved forward. Nick let out an audible sigh.
“Are we okay now, Nick?” Jack whispered.
Nick gave Jack a squeeze.
“Yeah, for a while. The guy who told me about all this said that once they get goin’, and it’s dark, they usually go all through the night. We’ll be okay for tonight.”
“I’m hungry, Nick.”
“I know, me too. We got a coupla doughnuts left, and plenty of smokes.”
They sat up and pulled out the doughnut bag. They made quick work of the pastries, and as Nick took out a match to light a cigarette, he stopped in mid-air.
“Shit.”
“What’s wrong, Nick?”
“Well, aren’t we a couple of galoots.”
Jack frowned at the insult. He’d been called that a couple of times by Nick when they’d first met. Jack couldn’t help it if he’d been young and green when they’d first known each other.
Nick chuckled and put out the match, placing the Luckys away into the pack.
“I don’t think lightin’ a match surrounded by hay is gonna help our situation any.”
Jack looked all around them. They were covered in it. They were sitting on it, wearing it and shielded by it. He had to laugh. Nick was right.
“Yeah, two blockheads, right?”
Nick’s face was lit by the glow of the moonlight. Jack smiled at him, revelling in their time alone together. The gentle rocking motion of the train was relaxing, and he felt sort of dreamy. Instead of answering Jack’s query, Nick continued to stare at him, looking pensive. Nick put the cigarettes in the duffle, along with the matches. It was a little odd, since he always kept them in his pocket. Jack swallowed, not sure what Nick was thinking about.
“I’m kinda thirsty, aren’t you, Nick?”
Still Nick said nothing. Instead he leant forward, and placed his lips gently on Jack’s. It was not demanding like the last kiss had been. This was sweet and loving. Jack opened his mouth to accept Nick’s tongue. It was very intimate and quite different from what he’d done with Stanley. That had started with touching, then progressed to tasting and licking one another’s dicks, learning about how good that could feel. Then Stanley had wanted to put his cock inside Jack—as if he were a girl—but Jack hadn’t let him. Stanley wouldn’t let Jack do it to him either, so they’d just continued with the other stuff. But if Nick wanted to do that to him now, he would let him. It seemed like it meant they were more serious if Jack gave Nick what a woman could give him.
Nick continued to explore his mouth, sometimes even sucking his tongue, which made Jack very hard. If Nick didn’t do something with him soon, he wasn’t sure how much more he could take.
Nick unbuttoned his own shirt, never breaking the kiss as he did.
This is it. We’re finally going to be together how I’ve wanted.
The motion of the train and the fervour of the kiss were all dizzying to his senses. A part of him wondered if it was all really happening. Just
a couple of days earlier, he couldn’t have even imagined this scenario.
Jack started to follow Nick’s example and unbuttoned his shirt as well. Their contact was broken when Nick pulled away to remove his shoes and the rest of his clothing. Just the rhythmic sounds of the train and the rustling of the hay as they moved to get ready for one another could be heard. Jack knew not to say anything. It was too easy to break the spell with Nick. Somehow, he felt that if they didn’t take this step now, Nick would simply go back to the way things were when they reached Hollywood. Jack wasn’t sure he’d be able to stand that.
Once they were both completely naked, Nick just sat on his heels, looking at Jack. Nick’s gaze went over every inch of him, and he suddenly felt shy. This was so much more personal than the fumblings with Stanley had been. Nick reached a tentative hand over to Jack, and lightly grasped the end of his penis. Jack drew his breath in through his teeth, and closed his eyes. He couldn’t watch. He just wanted to feel.
Nick lightly stroked the top side of his tip with his thumb, and gave small squeezes to the underside with his other fingers. It was if he was testing Jack, seeing how each little touch made him react. Nick’s grip tightened on Jack’s dick, and he moaned. It felt so good after all this time. To have another’s touch—especially one that he had ached for this long—was glorious.
Nick moved his hand up and down Jack’s shaft slowly, pulling and caressing as he did. Jack thrust his hips up to meet each stroke, and he used his hands to prop himself up, leaning a bit back in the hay. Suddenly Nick let go, and Jack’s eyes flew open.
No. He can’t stop now.
But Nick was on his hands and knees, moving closer to Jack. He lightly pushed on Jack’s chest, and he fell back in the hay. He breathed harder, anxiously waiting for what Nick would do next. It was more than he could have hoped for.
Nick wrapped his lips around Jack’s cock, the warmth and wetness almost more than he could bear. He kept perfectly still. He was sure if he even moved in the slightest, he would come immediately, and he didn’t want Nick to think he was too inexperienced. It had never even occurred to him to wonder about Nick’s experience. Had Nick been with other guys? Had he fucked Penelope? To Jack, Nick had always been this all-knowing being who exuded confidence in everything. Maybe he and Nick were equally matched in this one area. Maybe Jack was even more knowledgeable for once.
Nick used his tongue to rasp the underside of his dick, then circled all around the tip. It was slow and excruciatingly wonderful. With each lick, Nick’s mouth opened up a little bit more to take Jack inside him. Then he began to suck. Nick’s head bobbed up and down on Jack’s cock, and Jack watched Nick in ecstasy. He moved faster, gobbling him, low growling noises coming from his throat. This was not playing around, this was intense and passionate. Jack could feel the head of his penis pushing against the back of Nick’s throat, and there wasn’t the slightest chance he could hold back any longer. He spasmed his release down Nick’s throat, and Nick reached under his ass and grabbed Jack’s cheeks hard, holding him in his mouth as Jack continued his final throes.
At last he stilled, and Nick released him with both his mouth and his hands. Jack felt melancholy, worried that Nick might move away from him again, afraid of what had happened. But this time he didn’t. He slid up to Jack’s side and pulled him close, so that Jack’s head rested on his chest, and Nick draped one arm around him and across his shoulder. He wasn’t even bothered by the scratchiness of the hay. Being with Nick like this was all that mattered.
If only this moment would never end.
What have I done?
As he held Jack, almost reverently, in his arms, he had to admit to himself that it was too late to turn back. All the years of pretending, all the denying—it was completely pointless now. He loved a man. He loved Jack. He had just sucked Jack’s cock, and it was the most enjoyable thing he had ever experienced in his entire life. Better than fresh-baked cookies, better than his first paycheque, better than slugging back gin at the Red Head.
I guess I am a queer.
Bad thoughts intruded on the beautiful moment that should’ve been just about him and Jack. But this one wouldn’t go away. It was too deeply rooted in why he’d avoided his feelings for Jack for so long.
He’d only been about five years old, and he’d had a friend, Timmy, from next door. He’d had those soft feelings about Timmy, but he was too young to understand anything about it. It was very innocent. When little girls behaved the way he did in the schoolyard or the neighbourhood, no one thought anything of it. It was considered cute or precocious if a little boy and little girl did it. But two boys? All that happened was that he had been holding Timmy’s hand, and skipping with him down the street. They’d stopped and Nick had given him a hug, and planted a little peck on his cheek. Timmy had given him one back.
All of a sudden, Timmy’s dad had run down the lawn towards them. He was screaming and shaking his fist. He’d yanked Timmy away from Nick, and began spanking him hard and loud, all the time yelling “You ain’t no queer! No boy of mine is going to be no queer!” He’d finally let go of Timmy, and he’d run away to his house, screaming and crying. Then the boy’s father had turned to Nick, his eyes filled with anger and hatred.
“You little sissy. You stay away from my boy, ya hear? I ain’t havin’ no queer turn my son into no homo. Now get outta here, and never come back!”
Nick shuddered a little at the memory. It had hit him hard. He’d been too young to understand why the man was so angry at him and Timmy, and that had terrified him even more than the spanking and the words.
“Are you okay, Nick?”
Jack’s soft, sweet voice brought him back to the present. The peace that had been his in the dream the other night had returned. Except this time it was for real. He hugged Jack tightly, and kissed his temple.
“I’m real good, kid. Real good.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t call me kid no more. I’m your man…aren’t I?”
Nick smiled. It was a given that things would be different now, but he felt a little nostalgia about his pet name for Jack. But he was right. Jack was getting older, and he couldn’t treat him like a greenhorn forever.
“You’re my man, Jacky boy, and don’t you forget it.” He squeezed him hard on the last couple of words. “I can still call you Jacky boy though, right?”
“Sure, Nick. I don’t mind that.”
They lay still for a while. Jack cleared his throat, then spoke up tentatively.
“If I’m your man, I’d like to make you feel good too. I know how to do what you just did to me.”
Nick tensed a little. He was still hard, and he still wanted to come off. But for some odd reason, letting Jack pleasure him made it official. That they were a couple. They were in a mutually satisfying relationship. How would that ever work in the real world? Jack had told him about the pansy clubs back in New York, but that had been before Nick had been willing to admit that he was…what was the term one of the musicians had used once?
Gay. He asked if Jack was gay.
Nick had needed an explanation, because he’d had no idea what the man meant. Apparently it was a word that was beginning to be popular amongst men like him and Jack. It was certainly a lot better than being called a sissy or a fag. It sounded a lot nicer. But would they be able to live openly as a gay couple in Hollywood, and not get arrested or beaten? He’d heard things were a lot looser there. But one never knew what was fact, and what was rumour.
“If you don’t want me to, Nick, I’ll understand.”
Nick squeezed him hard again.
“I’d like it, Jack, I really would.”
Nick let go of Jack, mourning the loss of their closeness immediately, but he was quickly distracted by Jack’s mouth on his dick. It was complete rapture. The moist heat of Jack’s mouth, and the way he hungrily suckled Nick left him feeling perfect and whole. There was also a possessiveness that had been bubbling under the surface, but it really took root now. He thr
ust into Jack’s mouth in an upward motion, coupling with him, grabbing fistfuls of Jack’s wispy hair as he moaned loudly. Jack responded by opening up his throat and taking Nick even deeper in. He could feel Jack using one of his hands to caress Nick’s balls, adding to the already amazing sensations. But he wasn’t prepared for the next thrill. Jack alternately teased his balls, and grasped the base of his cock, moving his fist up and down in time with his sucking.
Jack moved his hand behind Nick’s balls, using his wet fingers to search between Nick’s ass cheeks. Nick was uncertain if he should say something, or try to stop Jack, but he was too excited. He could feel one of Jack’s digits nudging at his asshole, and he clenched up.
This is unnatural.
At that moment, Jack pulled almost all the way off Nick’s shaft, and flicked his tongue rapidly on the tip of his penis. Nick relaxed, and all of his attention focused on that small part of his body. There was a sudden pop of something into his anus. Jack swallowed him all the way in again, and finger-fucked Nick’s hole. It was too much. For a few seconds, he had considered yanking himself away from Jack, thinking that things had gone too far. But now Jack massaged a spot inside him that sent shivers to the tip of his dick, all whilst he continued to eat and tongue him relentlessly.
He knew what he wanted. He wanted Jack inside him, and he wanted to pound his dick into Jack. There was a sense of freedom at this realisation, and as Jack took him to new heights of pleasure, he exploded into a million pieces. He couldn’t believe the amount of jizz that came out of him. He pulled hard on Jack’s hair—his cries too loud—and he rammed himself into Jack’s face.
God, this feels so fuckin’ good.
There wasn’t the slightest chance he’d ever consider trying to live a straight life again. Not after this. Jack was his everything now. He only wanted to do whatever it took to make and keep him happy.
Chapter Six
It had been so much easier to get to Hollywood than Jack could have ever hoped for. There was only one time where they’d had to hide under a bridge somewhere in Colorado for a night when another train hadn’t come by. No bulls found them. No one beat them up or took their money. Surviving the trip—which took almost a week—made their arrival in Hollywood seem almost anti-climactic. But now that the dust of the journey was wearing off him a little, the anticipation began to build low in his gut. Nick said they were somewhere near Los Angeles in a huge rail yard. They would have to figure out how to get to the Hollywood area. But first, they had to wash off the grime that coated them.
Hollywood Bound Page 5