Elizabeth Coldwell Stranded in Paradise

STRANDED IN PARADISE

An erotic novella

Elizabeth Coldwell

Published by Accent Press Ltd – 2011

ISBN 9781908192516

The right of Elizabeth Coldwell to be identified as the

author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with

the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

The story contained within this book is a work of fiction.

Names and characters are the product of the author‟s

imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or

dead, is entirely coincidental.

transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic,

electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying,

recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the

publishers: Xcite Books, Suite 11769, 2nd Floor, 145-157 St

John Street, London EC1V 4PY

Also by Elizabeth Coldwell

Chapter One

They started fighting somewhere past Lincoln, Nebraska.
Alfie was surprised it hadn‟t happened sooner. Being
cooped up in a car with Brad Taylor for the best part of
two days would try the patience of a saint, and if there
was one thing Alfie lacked, it was patience.

But he‟d known that when he‟d accepted Brad‟s offer

of a ride. He‟d been watching the campus notice board as
the end of term approached, hoping someone would be
offering a lift all the way to California, in return for
company and a contribution towards the gas money. It
was the only way he was going to get there, after he‟d
checked how much it would cost to travel by Greyhound
bus and realised his overstretched credit card wasn‟t
going to go even halfway towards meeting the cost. He‟d
thought about asking his parents if they could lend him
the money, but they hadn‟t wanted him to study in the
States in the first place, preferring to keep him closer to
home. They‟d relented only because Alfie had convinced
them he‟d be able to support himself; if he e-mailed them
now to tell them he was broke they‟d be less than
sympathetic, he was sure.

Staying in Boston over the summer vacation would

have been the simplest – and cheapest – option, but part
of his reason for choosing an American university was to
travel and see the rest of the country outside term time.

His plan was to make his way to San Francisco, a city
he‟d always wanted to visit. There, he‟d fix himself up
with a job tending bar or waiting tables, something that
would leave him time to explore Haight-Ashbury and
Alcatraz, but it would all fall apart if he couldn‟t sort out
his transport.

„Why don‟t you try hitching a ride?‟ his roommate,

Lyle, had suggested. „Lots of truckers use that route.‟

Alfie considered the idea for only a few seconds before

dismissing it. He‟d seen too many films where some
hapless hitchhiker ended up being chopped into tiny bits
by a masked maniac and, fiction or not, it wasn‟t a risk he
wanted to run.

Just when he‟d resigned himself to spending his

summer on the east coast, maybe trying to find work in
one of the tourist spots like Cape Cod or Martha‟s
Vineyard, the handwritten note appeared on the notice
board. Someone was looking for a travelling companion
to San Francisco. He tapped the number into his mobile
phone with trembling fingers.

„Hey, you‟ve reached Brad,‟ came the voice on the

other end of the phone.

„Hi, I‟m ringing about your note. The ride to San

Francisco?‟

„Sure, man. Hey, you got in there quick. I only just put

the note up …‟

And that was how Alfie hooked up with Brad Taylor.

Two days later, he turned up at Brad‟s dorm. His
travelling companion was waiting for him outside,
standing by a battered Chevy. As soon as he saw him,
Alfie knew instinctively they weren‟t going to get on.
After all, what would a tanned, blond jock with a gridiron
helmet topping the towering pile of luggage on his back
seat have in common with a quiet, bespectacled English

science nerd? But Alfie stuck out his hand to receive a
bone-crushing handshake in return, vowing to make the
most of the situation.

At first, things weren‟t too bad. Brad didn‟t expect

Alfie to do much of the talking, preferring instead to
discuss his buddies on the football team, the keg parties
they threw at weekends and his cheerleader girlfriend,
Kelly, who apparently liked nothing better than to be
down on her knees, sucking Brad‟s cock. This non-stop
barrage of conversation was accompanied by soft rock
ballads belting out on the car stereo. Alfie would have
preferred silence and the chance to get his head down and
sleep as the monotonous miles went by, but with Brad
there was very little chance of that.

Things changed for the worse after they broke the

journey outside Lincoln. Brad needed to stretch his legs
and take a leak, so they pulled into a truck stop for a late
lunch. Making themselves comfortable in a booth by the
window, they were able to watch the comings and goings
as they tucked into the day‟s blue plate special, chicken
Tetrazzini.

While Brad flirted with the pretty blonde waitress who

kept refilling their coffee cups, Alfie went to use the rest
room. There were two stalls in the men‟s room. The door
of the first was ajar, but when he pushed it further open he
quickly realised it wasn‟t unoccupied. He caught a
glimpse of two men, the older dark and thickset, the
younger more slightly built, with a shaven head. Both had
their pants round their ankles. The older man had his
companion bent over the cistern and though Alfie
couldn‟t see exactly what he was doing, the thrusting
movements of his arse – and the little moans and gasps
the shaven-headed guy was giving in response – were
unmistakable.

Torn between backing away quietly before the men

became aware of his presence and lingering to get a better
look, Alfie felt his cock stiffening in his boxers. The
scene was so reminiscent of all his filthiest fantasies of
public sex – fantasies he knew he‟d never dare make
reality – and it reminded him of just how long it had been
since he‟d got laid. Being gay wasn‟t the issue; on
campus no one batted an eyelid, no matter what your
sexuality. Rather, he‟d got so caught up in studying and
keeping up his grades that he‟d almost forgotten what it
was like to lie between crumpled sheets with someone,
mouths locked together in a long, passion-filled kiss while
hands grasped cocks, stroking and teasing …

The younger man grunted, muttering something about

wanting it deeper. Someone called out in the corridor
beyond the rest rooms, bringing Alfie back to his senses
and reminding him he ought to be getting back to where
Brad was waiting for him.

He scurried back to the booth.
„You took your time,‟ Brad said, not unpleasantly,

throwing down enough bills to pay for his share of the
meal.

„Sorry about that. My stomach‟s playing up,‟ Alfie

lied. „Shall we go?‟

Out on the road again, it was somehow easier for Alfie

to ignore Brad‟s constant prattle and limited taste in
music. He half-dozed, losing himself in a fantasy where
he was back in the men‟s room, spying on the strangers as
they fucked. Only this time, the thickset man glanced over
and saw him watching, and before Alfie could retreat to
the safety of the corridor, the two men had grabbed him
and hauled him into the stall. Telling him they‟d show
him what happened to peeping Toms, Thickset held him
steady while his shaven-headed friend undid Alfie‟s belt

and zip, yanking down his jeans and underwear to reveal
his cock, already surging strongly upwards. The next
thing he knew, his hands were fastened behind his back
with his own belt and he was being urged down to his
knees, to lick and suck the two hard dicks that were
presented to his more than willing lips. And once those
two fat shafts were nice and wet, glistening in the
fluorescent light of the bathroom stall, they‟d bend him
over so they could take it in turns to ream his arse ...

The sound of a horn blaring and the car veering

sharply across the highway roused Alfie from his erotic
reverie.

„What the hell‟s going on?‟ he asked, as Brad yelled

and cursed at an open-topped convertible speeding away
from them into the distance.

„Fucking driver cut me off, man,‟ Brad responded,

putting his foot down on the accelerator. „Didn‟t get his
licence plate, but when I catch up with him …‟

„Hey, don‟t be silly. We‟ll never catch him, and what‟s

going to happen if we do?‟ Alfie had visions of Brad
hauling the driver out of his car and dishing out a beating
by way of a lesson. He wasn‟t sure he wanted to be any
part of that kind of behaviour. For the first time, he
noticed Brad was clutching a beer bottle in one hand. „Are
you drinking?‟

„So what if I am? Jesus, don‟t be such a pussy, Alfie.‟
„But what if the cops stop us? You could lose your

licence.‟

Brad shot him a smug grin. „Relax. My old man‟s a

cop. He was based in Omaha for years before we moved
out to Frisco. They‟ll still remember Joe Taylor. All I
have to do is say the word, no way anyone‟s writing me a
ticket.‟

„Well, I still think you should slow down and …‟ Alfie

looked ahead to see they‟d meandered into the wrong
lane, and a huge articulated truck was bearing down on
them. „Keep your eyes on the fucking road!‟

Just in time, Brad became aware of the impending

danger, swerving out of the truck‟s path. „Now, that
wouldn‟t have happened if you hadn‟t started busting my
chops.‟

„Me!‟ Alfie was indignant. „How is any of this my

fault? I‟m not the one who‟s trying to get us taken out by
an eighteen-wheeler.‟

„Well, if you don‟t like the way I drive, maybe you

should just get out of the car.‟ Brad brought the car to an
abrupt halt at the side of the road, glaring at Alfie. „That
wasn‟t a suggestion. Get out. Find someone else to give
you a ride.‟

Before Alfie knew what was happening, Brad was out

of the driver‟s side and coming round to open the
passenger door. He reached in, popped the release on
Alfie‟s seat belt and hauled Alfie bodily out of the car.

At last, Alfie‟s patience with his boorish, self-satisfied

travelling companion snapped, and he flung himself at
Brad, scuffling with him in the roadside dirt. A swinging
fist connected, and he was pleased to see it cut Brad‟s lip,
a thin trickle of blood appearing at the corner of his
mouth. In retaliation, Brad set about him with a series of
sharp blows. One caught his nose, and now he, too, was
bleeding. A vicious punch to his gut sent him sprawling to
the ground, winded and helpless.

„So long, Alfie. See you around,‟ Brad sneered, before

getting back in the car and locking the doors from the
inside.

„Hey, what about my stuff? You‟ve still got my bag!‟

Alfie called, rising gingerly to his feet, but the engine was
already revving, Brad pulling out on to the road without a

backward glance.

Alfie watched the car disappear into the distance, the

air shimmering around it as it faded from view, almost
unable to believe what had happened. He‟d been left
stranded in the middle of nowhere, with only the clothes
he stood up in. There hadn‟t been much in the bag he‟d
stowed in the trunk of Brad‟s Chevy, but he needed those
things. At least he had his phone. Maybe Brad was
already regretting his hastiness and could be persuaded to
turn round. Alfie was willing to offer whatever grovelling
apology it took, if only Brad would come back to collect
him.

But when he hauled his phone out of his pocket, it was

to discover he‟d neglected to charge it up before leaving
Boston, and now the damn thing was dead. The only thing
he could do was start walking, and hope he reached
civilisation fairly shortly. According to his watch, it was
almost an hour since they‟d left the truck stop. Lincoln
was too far back down the road; he had to press on.

Forced to overcome his reluctance to hitch a ride, he

stuck out a thumb whenever a vehicle passed, but no
driver seemed to want to slow down for a dazed and
bloodied youth who stumbled along at the side of the
road.

No one could begin to grasp just how vast a continent

America was until they tried to walk across it with only
the vaguest idea of where they were going. Alfie lost all
track of how long he‟d been walking, or how many miles
he‟d covered. He was aware only of a raging thirst, and
the need to stop and get some rest. Once, he thought he
caught the shape of a police patrol car coming towards
him. Should he flag it down, explain his predicament?
What if the officer who stopped wasn‟t sympathetic?
He‟d heard there were still vagrancy laws in force in some

states. The last thing he wanted to do was get himself
arrested. Though if they threw him in jail at least he‟d
have a roof over his head for the night, he thought
bitterly.

Night fell, and the temperature began to drop sharply.

Dressed in only a thin cotton T-shirt and jeans, his jacket
still in Brad‟s car, Alfie could barely stop himself
shivering. At last, his feet blistered and every joint aching,
he spotted buildings up ahead. Almost too weary to reach
them, he pressed on with the last of his strength. The
town, such as it was, consisted of a cluster of half-a-dozen
streets dominated by a small, white-painted wooden
church that stood a little way up a low hillside. A sign
stood at its limits. “WELCOME TO PARADISE”.

„If this is Paradise, I‟d hate to think what Hell looks

like,‟ Alfie muttered to himself, and staggered into the
town in search of someone who could help him.

Chapter Two

Ray had already shut the diner for the night when he
heard the banging on the door. „We‟re closed!‟ he yelled,
pausing in the act of emptying the cash register. His
opening hours were clearly stated on a sign in the
window; if anyone wanted a meal outside those hours,
there was the all-night place over in Aurora, five minutes‟
drive down the road.

Whoever was outside was persistent, he‟d give them

that. Eventually, he went to see just who wasn‟t capable
of taking of a hint. Expecting some impatient stoner with
a bad case of the munchies and no idea of the time, he
was instead greeted by a bedraggled boy who couldn‟t
have been more than 20, dressed in a T-shirt that had once
been white but was now stained with dirt and sweat. His
dark hair was tangled, and dried blood had crusted around
his nose. Desperation glittered in his brown eyes, shielded
by small, wire-framed glasses.

Had he been in a car wreck? Ray didn‟t remember

hearing sirens, but that could just mean no one had called
911 yet.

„Do you have a phone I can use?‟ The stranger spoke

with an English accent, which really threw Ray for a loop.

„Sure. Come in. Who do you need to call? Ambulance?

Fire service? Anyone else hurt?‟ Words tumbled from
Ray‟s mouth despite his attempts to remain calm. If the

boy was injured and disorientated, it was important not to
spook him further.

„No, it‟s nothing like that. My phone died and I …‟ He

swayed on his feet, as though he might faint. Ray ushered
him inside, guided him to the nearest seat and went to get
him a glass of tap water.

The boy swallowed it down in greedy gulps, looking a

little brighter by the time he‟d finished his drink. „Thanks
very much.‟

„No problem.‟ Ray said. „And now I think it‟s time for

some introductions. I‟m Ray Rendell. Why don‟t you tell
me your name and give me some idea of what this is all
about?‟

„It‟s Alfie – Alfie Crane. And it‟s a long story. I was

supposed to be driving to San Francisco with …‟ He
paused.

„A friend? A girlfriend?‟ Ray prompted.
„No, nothing like that. Just some guy I know. Well, I

don‟t really know him. I just agreed to split the gas money
with him. But we had a fight and he drove off without me.
He took my stuff. Not intentionally, I don‟t think, but he
didn‟t give me a chance to get it out of the car. I‟ve been
walking ever since.‟ He gave a sour little laugh. „It‟s all a
bit of a mess, really.‟

„And where‟s home, Alfie? Is there someone who

could come and collect you?‟

Alfie shook his head. „You probably guessed from the

accent I‟m not exactly a native. My parents are in
London. I‟m studying in Boston, but there‟s no one there
who can help. My roommate‟s in Europe and I – well, I
don‟t really have too many friends over here, to be honest.
That‟s why I was sharing a car with a complete stranger.
As far as I can see, I‟m stuck here. No offence, Ray. I‟m
sure this is a really nice town, but …‟

Ray was never sure what impulse drove him to make

the offer. He told himself afterwards it was just a friendly
gesture – anyone with a shred of decency could see the
boy was in a predicament he couldn‟t get out of without
help. But it was something stronger, something that made
him want to keep the boy around for a while and get to
know him better.

„You know, you couldn‟t have turned up at a better

time. I‟m looking for someone to help me out in the
diner.‟ His previous bus boy, Duane, had walked out the
week before. He was moving to Lincoln with his
girlfriend. It was always the same. Anyone with any
ambition – in this case, Lindsay, Duane‟s girlfriend,
who‟d been an honour student at her high school in
Aurora – quickly realised there were no real career
opportunities in Paradise and left the town as soon as they
could. „And I‟ve got a guest room I‟m not using, so that
solves the problem of where to stay. Otherwise, I could
give you a lift down to Aurora. You should be able to
pick up a bus from there. But don‟t make a decision just
yet. Let me get you something to eat.‟

„Oh, don‟t go to any trouble on my account,‟ Alfie

said, even though he still looked as though he might pass
out from hunger.

„Hey, it‟s no trouble to whip up an omelette.‟
Within a couple of minutes, Ray was whisking

seasoned eggs in a bowl, and pouring the mixture into a
hot skillet. He was glad of the excuse to keep busy.
Beneath the blood and grime, Alfie was the most
attractive man he‟d seen in a long time, and he was
uncomfortably aware of a growing hard-on in his pants. In
the days before he‟d moved back to Paradise to run the
diner when his father grew too ill to manage, his then
boyfriend, Rick, a college psychology professor who

prided himself on being able to see through anyone‟s
façade, had claimed Ray was attracted to “broken birds”
who needed the love of a good man to make them whole
again. Rick had turned out to be a grade-A jerk, which
was why they hadn‟t been together too long, but Ray
couldn‟t help wondering if he might have a point. Was he
responding to Alfie‟s vulnerability? After all, he had no
idea whether the boy was gay or straight, and he wasn‟t
about to start asking intrusive questions.
Putting the thought out of his mind, he rolled up the light,
fluffy omelette and garnished it with fresh parsley before
putting it on a plate. He set it in front of Alfie, along with
a soda from the refrigerator. ‘Bon Appétit,‟ he said with a
grin. For the first time since he‟d almost fallen into the
diner, Alfie cracked a smile in response.

He took a bite of the omelette, then another. „This is

delicious. Thanks, Ray. And yes, I‟d be happy to work
here, if you don‟t mind.‟

„Mind? I‟m delighted.‟ Ray sat back and watched Alfie

clear his plate, trying not to think of him as anything other
than his latest employee.

Once Alfie had finished his meal, Ray took him upstairs.
„This is your room,‟ he said, pushing open the door. „I‟ll
need to make up the bed. The bathroom‟s next door, so
why don‟t you take a shower?‟

„Is that a polite way of telling me I stink?‟ Alfie

sounded much more upbeat than he had at any time since
they‟d first met, but Ray knew a good meal and a show of
kindness could lift anyone‟s spirits.

„There‟s plenty of hot water. Oh, and if you want to

leave your clothes in the laundry bin, I‟ll hunt out
something that should fit you. I‟ll see you in the
morning.‟

Ray cracked the window in the spare room, letting in

the cool night air to banish any lingering stuffiness, then
went to get sheets from the linen closet. As he passed the
bathroom, through the door he could hear the sound of
Alfie singing to himself. He was off-key, but Ray could
have listened to him for quite a while. He couldn‟t shake
the image of what Alfie might look like behind the thin,
transparent shower curtain, lathering up his naked body
with Ray‟s favourite Ivory soap. He imagined the water
beating down on Alfie‟s skin, foam trailing down over his
chest and flat belly. Maybe he‟d spend a while soaping
his cock, putting more into the stroking motion as it
thickened and swelled, until all thoughts of cleaning
himself had been forgotten in favour of jacking himself to
a swift, powerful climax.

The image stayed with Ray as he lay in bed. Unable to

sleep, he found his own hand straying down to grasp his
shaft. Instantly, his cock stirred into life, and he knew he
wouldn‟t be able to stop touching himself till he came.
There was a tube of hand cream on his night stand, kept
there for the express purpose of greasing himself up when
he masturbated, and he squeezed a walnut-sized blob into
his palm.

He pictured Alfie, naked and dripping wet, pulling

aside the shower curtain, beckoning him into the cramped
stall. They would fall into an embrace, lips locked
together, and they would explore each other‟s body,
getting to know its lines and angles, the firmness of butt
cheeks, the thickness of thighs. Alfie‟s hand would reach
down to grab Ray‟s cock, his eyes widening as the size of
it became apparent. With frantic strokes, each would jerk
the other, Alfie‟s free hand cupping Ray‟s hanging balls,
Ray‟s middle finger worming up into Alfie‟s tight
arsehole. All too soon, their cocks would erupt, creamy

spunk shooting out to be washed away by the steadily
pounding water. At the moment they climaxed in his
fantasy, Ray shot his load in reality, biting the back of his
hand so as not to wake Alfie with his ecstatic cries.

As he drifted into a satisfied sleep, Ray told himself

firmly his attraction to Alfie had to remain the stuff of
dreams. Life would be less complicated that way.

Chapter Three

When Alfie woke late the following morning, it took him
a few moments to remember where he was. Gradually,
memories flooded back: the fight with Brad; the long,
exhausting trek till he reached Paradise; Ray‟s unexpected
hospitality.

Fresh clothes lay at the bottom of the bed, where Ray

had left them while Alfie was in the shower. As
requested, he‟d thrown the things he‟d been wearing in
the laundry bin to be washed, though he doubted anything
could be done for his socks, tattered and blood-stained as
they were. His cut and blistered feet were still sore, but
otherwise he felt refreshed by nearly 12 hours of
unbroken, dreamless sleep.

The T-shirt he‟d been given to wear didn‟t fit too

badly, but the jeans needed belting tightly and turning up
at the bottom so he wouldn‟t trip over the hems. Looking
at his reflection in the mirror as he brushed his hair, he
couldn‟t help noticing the bruises on his left cheek,
mottled purple and blue. He only hoped he‟d left Brad
with a similar reminder of their coming to blows.

A sharp knock on the bedroom door distracted Alfie

from thoughts of what he‟d like to do to Brad if he ever
got his hands on him again.

„Hey, you decent in there?‟ Ray called.
„Sure. Come in.‟

Ray entered the room, carrying a box of Band-Aids

and a tube of antiseptic cream. „Thought you might need
these.‟

He’s seen my socks and knows my feet are ripped to

shreds, Alfie thought, taking the medical supplies with
mumbled words of gratitude. Why did the diner owner‟s
repeated shows of generosity leave him feeling so
flustered? He liked to think if the positions were reversed,
he‟d be doing all he could do help someone so obviously
in need, but even so …

„When you‟ve had breakfast, I‟ll take you through

what your duties in the diner will involve, then when the
place gets quiet mid-morning, we‟ll go over to the general
store and sort you out with some new clothes to replace
the stuff you lost.‟

„OK.‟ The suggestion reminded Alfie he really needed

to find some way of getting his possessions back. „Erm,
you wouldn‟t happen to have a phone charger I could
borrow, would you?‟

„There‟s a phone in the hall any time you need to use

it, Alfie.‟

„Thanks, but I only have the number of the guy who‟s

got my bag in the memory of my phone. I need to charge
it up so I can get in touch with him.‟

Ray nodded. „I‟ll ask around. One of the customers is

bound to have what you need.‟

Did that mean Ray didn‟t own a cell phone? Alfie

wondered, as the man left the room. How did he manage?
Alfie couldn‟t do without the convenience of having a
phone with him wherever he went. Though it wasn‟t
much use to him at the moment, he thought ruefully,
glancing over to where it lay on the nightstand, battery
dead.

Once he‟d applied cream to the cuts on his feet and

covered them with strips of plaster, he shrugged on his
boots and made his way downstairs to the diner. Ray was
standing at the grill, frying strips of bacon and sausage
patties. The smell set Alfie‟s stomach growling with
hunger.

„Help yourself to coffee,‟ Ray said, gesturing to where

a jug sat on the hotplate. He slipped rashers of bacon
between two thick slices of wholewheat bread, and
handed the sandwich to Alfie, who wolfed it down in
quick, greedy bites as Ray explained what he expected of
him.

„It‟s simple, really. I need you to clear tables, wash the

dishes, refill coffee cups if the waitress is busy …‟

Alfie nodded. He knew the general duties of a bus boy.

It was the kind of work he‟d been hoping to find when he
reached San Francisco. „No problem.‟ Reaching for the
apron that hung on a hook by the sink, he asked, „Where
do you want me to start?‟

„First things first.‟ Ray led him out into the body of the

diner, towards a mumsy-looking woman in a pale blue
uniform, a little white hat perched jauntily on her washed-
out blonde hair. „I want you to meet Mae.‟

The waitress was on her way back to the counter, a

stack of dirty plates cradled in the crook of her arms. She
smiled at Ray and Alfie, crows‟ feet appearing in the
corners of her blue eyes. „So you‟re Alfie. Ray was telling
me you‟re the answer to his prayers.‟

Alfie blushed, wondering exactly what she had been

told. „Oh, I don‟t know about that …‟

„Well, he said he was praying for someone to come

along and take the bus boy job, and suddenly, there you
were.‟ Mae gave Alfie‟s shoulders an affectionate squeeze
with her free hand. „So how d‟you like our little town?‟

„To be honest, I‟ve not seen that much of it.‟

„Oh, I‟m sure you‟ll love it when you do. If there‟s one

thing you can say about Paradise, it‟s that the folks here
are real friendly. Isn‟t that right, Ray?‟

Ray said nothing, just nodded, but as the morning

progressed, it grew obvious to Alfie there was a truth in
Mae‟s words. The diner was never particularly busy at
any one time, so there was no pressure for customers to
eat up and get out, unlike a couple of the popular spots
Alfie used in Boston. Mae had a smile for everyone, a
wisecrack or two as she refilled their coffee cups, but it
was noticeable how many of the people who ate there also
took time to chat with Ray, and ask after his health, or
discuss some story they‟d heard on the news that
morning. In return, Ray had time for all of them, pausing
in the act of slicing pie or filling a sandwich to talk about
this and that.

A couple of times, Mae popped into the kitchen, where

Alfie was up to his elbows in soapy water, washing
dishes. She took down a small, screw-topped jar from a
high shelf and pushed crumpled dollar bills into it.

„This is the tip jar, honey. At the end of the week, we

count it out and divide it up between us,‟ she explained,
leaving him in no doubt that he was included in “us”.
„Folks here aren‟t just friendly, they‟re generous, too.‟

As Ray had predicted, trade slackened off mid-

morning. Closing the diner, telling Mae to take a cigarette
break as they‟d be back in 20 minutes, he led Alfie down
the main street to the general store.

Despite everything Mae had said, Alfie found Paradise

no more prepossessing in daylight than he had the night
before. The place had a run-down air, as though it had
seen better days, with shabby, faded store fronts and deep
potholes in the road. He couldn‟t help wondering why
Ray continued to live here, when he could have taken his

culinary skills and made a decent living in a bigger town.
From what he could see, there were no ties holding the
man here, no partner, no children. However friendly the
people were, Alfie failed to see any real attraction the
town might hold.

„Here we go.‟ Ray pushed open the door of the general

store. The place was gloomy inside, like Alfie imagined
Aladdin‟s cave might look, with goods piled higgledy-
piggledy and rakes, watering cans and other implements
hanging from the ceiling, posing a danger to anyone much
over six foot tall. Ray seemed to know where to find what
they needed in this cluttered treasure trove, pointing Alfie
to the racks of men‟s clothing in a corner at the back of
the store.

Within a couple of minutes, Alfie had picked out a pair

of jeans in his size, along with three pairs of socks and
three of underwear from the store‟s limited selection.
Instead of the loose boxers he usually favoured, he‟d had
to choose tight-fitting white briefs. He caught Ray
looking at him as he picked them out. An image flashed
into his mind. He saw himself standing in Ray‟s guest
room wearing nothing but a pair of those briefs, his cock
hard and all too prominent where the cotton material
clung to it. Under Ray‟s watchful gaze, he would slowly
peel down his underwear, before taking himself in hand
and stroking up and down the rigid, aching length. Or
maybe those pants were coming off because he‟d
committed some misdemeanour, like accidentally
knocking a pile of plates from the counter and smashing
them, and now he was going to pay for his clumsiness
with a bare-bottomed spanking over Ray‟s lap …

Now, where had that thought come from? Perhaps it

had something to do with Ray‟s look, his demeanour. The
thick sprinkling of grey in his dark hair, the steely centre

Alfie was sure lurked beneath his warm and welcoming
exterior, the little streak of hidden ruthlessness. How else
could he make a going concern of his diner in a town that,
as the sign on its outskirts proclaimed, had just over two
hundred residents if he didn‟t have a head for business?
Watching Ray as he turned a carousel holding slightly
dog-eared paperback books, Alfie decided the man was a
definite DILF. Standing for “dad I‟d like to fuck”, it was a
term some of the guys on campus bandied around when
they talked about older men they found hot. One of the
bars in Boston‟s upmarket Back Bay area was supposed
to be a magnet for that kind of man, and the younger guys
who were attracted to them, but Alfie had never set foot
there. Somehow, he‟d always felt like a fish out of water
on the club scene, even though his English accent and
studious appearance made him a magnet for those men
who didn‟t go for muscle-bound gym bunnies.

Deep down, he knew he wouldn‟t be having any of

these fantasies if he wasn‟t convinced that, even though
he hadn‟t said as much, Ray was gay. But was it any real
surprise if Ray chose to be secretive about his sexuality?
In a one-horse town like this, where everyone was bound
to know everyone else‟s business, how wise would it be
to do otherwise?

Conscious of the need to get back to the diner, Alfie

scooped up disposable razors, a toothbrush and deodorant
and took them over to the counter along with his selection
of clothing. The clerk smiled at him, ringing up the total
on his register. „That‟ll be $52 all told.‟

Alfie fished his wallet out of the back pocket of his

borrowed jeans. He wasn‟t certain quite how much cash
he had on him, but it wasn‟t close to the necessary
amount, and he doubted very much the store took credit
cards.

Ray must have noticed his dilemma, as he came up to

the counter and told Alfie, „Don‟t worry, I‟ll get these.
You can pay me back out of your wages at the end of the
week.‟

„Thanks, Ray, if you‟re sure.‟
„Don‟t worry about it.‟ Ray‟s smile was broad as he

ran a hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, sending a
sharp pang of desire down to Alfie‟s loins. Undoubtedly a
DILF, he thought, using the brown paper bag his
purchases had been stacked in to hide his growing
erection. And my boss, and the man who‟s taken me into
his home. So undoubtedly off-limits, too.

As the week passed, and Alfie settled into the comfortable
routine of working in the diner, it became increasingly
difficult to deny the effect being around Ray was having
on him. They would pass in the hall on the way to and
from the bathroom in the morning, Ray usually in a T-
shirt and shorts. The morning he emerged from the
bathroom with nothing but a towel wrapped round his
waist, Alfie yearned to push him up against the wall and
kiss him, fumbling with the knot in the towel till it slipped
to the floor, revealing Ray‟s glorious nakedness.

This isn‟t like me at all, Alfie thought, locking himself

in the bathroom and fighting the urge to reach for his
stiffening cock. Sure, he‟d had his infatuations in the past,
but they‟d all been for guys his own age, like Mike in his
A-level maths class, with the stunning blue eyes and
deliciously lopsided grin, or Tim, who lived on the same
floor in his dorm and liked to kick a football around on
the grass outside, shirtless in the summer sunshine.
Falling for someone like Ray, in his late 30s, with
responsibilities that went way beyond making sure he got
his term papers in on time, was a strange new experience,

and one he wasn‟t entirely sure how to deal with. All he
could do, he supposed, was enjoy the feelings while they
lasted, even if he wasn‟t going to act on them. Soon
enough he‟d be on his way out of town, and the
extraordinary tale of how he found himself stranded in
Paradise would simply be something to amuse his friends
the next time he saw them.

If Brad didn‟t share the details with them first, of

course. When Alfie‟s phone had finally been charged up,
with the help of a customer in the diner that first
afternoon, there‟d been a voicemail message from Brad
waiting for him. „Hi, Alfie. Your bag‟s in my trunk. Call
me when you get to San Francisco and I‟ll hand it over. If
not, I‟ll see you back at campus.‟ No apology for
throwing him out of the car and driving off, no attempt to
find out whether he was all right, but Alfie supposed it
was as much as he could expect, under the circumstances.
At least Brad hadn‟t tossed the bag once he‟d found it,
leaving it to rot by the side of Interstate 80.

It didn‟t help that, a couple of times during the course

of the week, Alfie looked round when Ray was busy at
the grill and made unexpected eye contact with the man.
The looks he received in return made him believe, if only
for a moment, that his feelings were reciprocated.

When Ray finally closed the diner late on the Friday

night, Alfie was expecting to toss his dirty clothes in the
washer and retire to bed, ready for an early start the
following morning. Instead, Ray said, „I have a Friday
tradition I‟d like you to be a part of. I crack a brew, make
some popcorn and watch a cheesy movie on TV. You up
for a spot of that?‟

„Sounds great,‟ Alfie admitted, relishing the thought of

kicking back and relaxing with a cold beer for once.

While Alfie pulled off his boots and made himself

comfortable on the couch, Ray disappeared into the small
kitchenette. The sound of cupboards opening and closing
was followed by a series of sharp popping noises, as Ray
heated up the corn kernels. A couple of minutes later, he
came into the living room carrying a tray with two bottles
of light beer and a bowl of butter-smothered popcorn.
Setting the tray down on the coffee table, he took up a
spot on the other end of the couch to Alfie.

„OK, let‟s see what we have.‟ Turning on the TV, Ray

flicked through the channels till he found the opening
credits of a Fifties monster movie. „Perfect.‟

The film featured an army of giant crabs laying waste

to a small town that looked pretty much how Paradise
must have done before people started moving away in
search of better prospects. The acting was hammy and the
special effects laughable, and when Ray started pointing
out the holes in the plot and mocking the terrible
dialogue, Alfie couldn‟t help joining in. He couldn‟t
remember when he‟d last had such a good time.

During a break for commercials, Ray got up to fetch

more beer. Alfie couldn‟t be sure, but when Ray settled
himself back on the couch, he seemed to be sitting a little
closer than he had before. As Ray moved to reach for the
remote control, seeking to turn up the volume on the TV,
their legs pressed together. Alfie seemed to feel the heat
of Ray‟s thigh burning him even through his jeans, and he
fought against the desire to prolong that brief moment of
contact.

Eyes glued to the screen, where a bikini-clad woman

was about to be devoured by the cheapest model
crustacean in motion picture history, Alfie reached for
more popcorn. Dipping his fingers into the bowl, they
grazed against Ray‟s. This time, the contact – and the
electricity that surged through Alfie in its wake – couldn‟t

be ignored. Ray‟s thumb brushed over Alfie‟s palm in a
subtle but unmistakeable caress. Languid warmth flooded
his body, rushing to his groin. He was hard in moments,
his cock trapped almost painfully in the tight confines of
his jeans.

Now the film was forgotten, the bathing beauty

abandoned to her fate, as the two men withdrew their
hands from the popcorn bowl. Ray raised Alfie‟s fingers
to his lips, licking the butter off each one in turn. Alfie
moaned, wishing it was his dick engulfed in the wet
furnace of Ray‟s mouth.

„Should we be doing this?‟ Alfie asked, remembering

his determination not to get involved with his employer.

„Probably not,‟ Ray replied, but he didn‟t stop sucking

Alfie‟s fingers, smacking his lips with relish. He reached
for Alfie‟s fly, popping the buttons open in rapid
succession. Alfie made no attempt to stop Ray as his hand
curled round his stiff, overheated shaft, pulling it out so
he could wrap his lips round it. The seduction was so
fluid, so assured Ray must have done this before, but
Alfie wasn‟t bothered about the man‟s past, or who might
have been part of it. All that mattered was the feel of his
mouth, slowly inching its way down his length, tongue
swirling and teasing.

Alfie sprawled back against the couch cushions,

flinging out a hand and knocking the bowl from the table
as he did. Popcorn scattered across the floor, but the china
bowl didn‟t break. Both men ignored the noise and the
mess, lost in the pursuit of pleasure.

Ray let Alfie‟s cock drop from his lips. „Got to see you

naked,‟ he murmured. Crouching over Alfie‟s supine
body, he yanked down his jeans and underwear in the
same movement. His T-shirt was next, leaving him in
nothing but his thick white socks. Alfie expected Ray to

undress himself in turn, but instead, Ray just began to toy
with his cock once more, leaving him feeling somehow
vulnerable but harder and more turned on than before.

„Please, suck me again. Your mouth feels so good.‟ It

wasn‟t like Alfie to be so vocal in his desires, to beg for
what he wanted, but he‟d never been with anyone who
affected him the way Ray did.

Ray grinned. „Since you ask so nicely …‟ The point of

his tongue circled Alfie‟s helmet, lapping at the juice
seeping from its tip. His hand tugged Alfie‟s foreskin
steadily back and forth. „I‟ve never been with a man who
wasn‟t cut before,‟ he observed, „but then I never had a
cute English boy naked on my couch before.‟

With that, his mouth plunged down again, taking as

much of Alfie‟s length as it could. Buried in the wet
recesses of Ray‟s throat, Alfie could only moan as a
skilful combination of hand and mouth worked on him in
tandem. Eyes closed, head thrown back against the arm of
the couch, he drifted on a sea of bliss, pulled this way and
that by Ray‟s sucking lips and steadily wanking fingers.
Every so often, Ray would take time to caress Alfie‟s
tight balls, rolling them delicately between his slender
fingers.

„God, that‟s amazing,‟ Alfie moaned, wishing this

treatment would never stop. It was so long since he‟d
been the focus of such sustained erotic attention he‟d
almost forgotten how good it felt.

Ray broke off to suck his middle finger, getting it

slippery-wet. When his mouth clamped on to Alfie‟s cock
again, and that slick finger rubbed at the entrance of
Alfie‟s arse, the combination of sensations was
overwhelming. Gasping and panting, back arching
upwards, he writhed against the couch. Spunk surged
from his balls, gushing into Ray‟s mouth. The force of his

climax was explosive, fuelled by his pent-up lust and
longing, and when he opened his eyes, it was to see Ray
wiping a trickle of come from the side of his mouth.

„I‟m sorry.‟ Alfie wriggled into a sitting position. „It –

it‟s been a while.‟

„Don‟t worry about it.‟ Ray‟s tone was one of wry

amusement. „But if you want to make up for your – er –
enthusiasm, maybe you could return the favour?‟

It was a request Alfie couldn‟t wait to fulfil. But first

he had to get Ray as naked as he was. Making short work
of undoing Ray‟s belt and zip, he soon had his jeans down
to his ankles. Ray‟s cockhead poked rudely from the fly
opening of his shorts, demanding to be sucked. While Ray
pulled off his T-shirt, revealing a chest sprinkled with hair
considerably blacker than that on his head, Alfie tugged
Ray‟s shorts off, getting his first real look at his lover‟s
dick. Easily as long as his own and rather thicker, it felt
good in his hand, hot and alive. If an uncircumcised cock
was a novelty for Ray, Alfie was equally unused to
playing with a cut length. It would need more lubrication
than his own, for a start, but his fingers were still greasy
with the butter from the popcorn, and that did the trick in
the absence of anything else.

Ray certainly seemed to be enjoying it, as Alfie‟s hand

shuttled up and down his length, slowly at first then with
growing confidence. Touching was good, but tasting
would be even better. Setting his glasses down on the
coffee table, Alfie took the blunt head of Ray‟s cock
between his lips and started to suck. In response, Ray
groaned, low in his throat.

Mouth full of salty, buttered cock-flesh, Alfie glanced

up to see Ray‟s eyelids had fluttered shut and he was
playing with his own nipple, twisting the hard bud
between his fingertips.

„Oh, yeah, Alfie, just like that. Don‟t stop.‟
Alfie‟s free hand clutched at Ray‟s firm arse cheek.

Whatever the man did to keep in shape, it certainly
worked. He had a leaner body and a tauter backside than
many of the guys Alfie saw in the college dorm showers.
And Ray‟s cock was so wonderfully responsive, seeming
to grow even more in Alfie‟s mouth as his finger traced
down the seam of his ball sac, heading for the secret,
sensitive place between that and Ray‟s arsehole.

Ray‟s breathing was growing harsher, his hips bucking

forward, seeking to bury more of his cock in Alfie‟s
throat. „Can‟t hold back. Going to come.‟ Barely had he
forced the words out than Alfie‟s mouth was filling with
come, its briny flavour bitter against his taste buds. If
anything, Ray‟s load was more copious than his own, and
he simply couldn‟t swallow it all fast enough. Admitting
defeat, he let Ray‟s cock slip from his lips, the last of the
man‟s spunk spattering against his bare chest.

Almost before he knew what was happening, Ray was

pulling him up into an embrace. They kissed, holding
each other tightly, as if they could never bear to let go.
Alfie tasted himself on Ray‟s lips, sharp and savoury.
Coming up for air at last, he looked to see whether there
was any hint of regret in Ray‟s expression, but saw only
satisfaction.

Ray looked round at the spilled popcorn and muddle of

discarded clothes on the carpet. He seemed about to start
picking some of it up, then shook his head. „That can wait
till the morning,‟ he declared. „Come on, Alfie, let‟s go to
bed.‟

Chapter Four

Dawn was breaking, the light grey and cold, when Ray
woke. For a moment, he wondered why he wasn‟t alone
in his bed, as he had been every other night since he‟d
moved back to Paradise. Slowly, recollections of the night
before came back to him. He and Alfie had sucked each
other‟s cock in the living room, before making their way
up here. He‟d expected they would just fall asleep once
they slipped between the crisply laundered sheets, but
their desire for each other had proved too strong. Ray had
found his erection reviving with a speed he thought had
deserted him when he turned 30, and the prospect of
fucking Alfie‟s taut young arse had proved impossible to
resist.

Amazingly, the condoms buried in his nightstand

drawer hadn‟t yet reached their best-by date, and he
skinned one on in double-quick time while Alfie lay
expectantly on the bed, watching with the slightly
unfocused expression of a short-sighted man who wasn‟t
wearing his glasses.

Ray took a while lubricating Alfie‟s arsehole, making

sure he was able to take a couple of fingers without
discomfort before replacing them with his cock. They‟d
made love face to face, Ray‟s big body straddling Alfie‟s,
eyes locked together as he pumped slowly in and out of
the boy‟s arse. That had been exquisite on its own, but

when Alfie had looked up at him and murmured, „Tie me
to the bed rail, please,‟ he‟d thought he might come on the
spot. He had no idea where the request had come from,
what strange fantasy was playing out in Alfie‟s head, but
he‟d been only too happy to comply.

He‟d only ever had one lover who was into kinky play,

and that was years ago, before he‟d met Rick the jerk. Jeff
had been into role-play games. It had been fun at first,
pretending Jeff was a burglar who‟d broken into Ray‟s
home. Mostly the game ended with Ray being
“overpowered” and tied up so Jeff could fuck his arse,
though on a couple of occasions the roles had been
reversed, with Jeff finding himself bound and helpless.
When Jeff had suggested bringing a knife into their play,
so he could hold it to Ray‟s throat – or, worse, his balls –
as he tied him up and had his way with him, Ray had
called an abrupt halt to their games, and their relationship.
That was a kink too far, a plunge into dark and dangerous
waters, and he didn‟t want to be involved with a man who
found someone else‟s fear an aphrodisiac. But Alfie –
Alfie looked as though he would be more than happy with
a little tie and tease, and Ray had no qualms about using
the cord of his dressing gown to fasten the boy‟s wrists to
the bed rail. The added thrill that came from having Alfie
in restraint, of hearing his throaty, ecstatic cries as he
writhed in his bonds, made him thrust his cock deeper
into Alfie‟s clutching arse, shooting his load into the
condom. He couldn‟t remember when he‟d last come
twice in a night, or when he‟d been happier to hold his
lover in his arms as he gently drifted off to sleep.

So why, when he‟d enjoyed every minute of what

they‟d done together, was his overwhelming emotion as
he looked at Alfie, face half-buried in the pillow and
slumbering peacefully, one of guilt? It was stupid, he

knew. He couldn‟t claim he‟d taken advantage of his
young employee, as Alfie had wanted it every bit as much
as he had, so why did he feel he‟d done something
wrong? Was it the age difference? Or did it have more to
do with his fears of what would happen if some of the
other residents of Paradise found out he was gay?

He needed to get out of the house, to clear his head and

try to decide where things went from here. Quietly, so as
not to wake Alfie, he took the jeans and sweater that were
slung over the back of a chair and slipped into them. His
boots were downstairs, where he‟d left them last night.
With a last, lingering look at the gorgeous, naked planes
of Alfie‟s back and the top curve of his arse, exposed
where he‟d flung the sheets back in his sleep, he crept out
of the bedroom and down the stairs.

The morning air was fresh, and Ray breathed in great

lungfuls as he stood on the step, deciding where to go.
There was only one place he‟d find the peace he sought.
Almost on automatic pilot, he turned in the direction of St
Francis‟ Church, heading beyond the town limits.

So early on a Saturday morning, there was no one

around to watch his progress. Fists buried deep in the
pockets of his jacket, he strode forward, still churning
over the events of the previous night in his mind.

Paradise Cemetery was about a mile beyond the edge

of town, surrounded by fields of waving corn. When he‟d
been at elementary school, he‟d always believed these
fields gave Nebraska its nickname, “the Cornhusker
State”. It was only later he‟d learned the name came from
the University of Nebraska‟s sports teams. Another
illusion shattered. Maybe they should have called it “the
Shattered Illusion State”. It wouldn‟t have been any less
appropriate.

Still, the land was fertile here, good for growing, and at

this time of year the ears of corn stood taller than Ray,
planted in neat rows stretching out to the horizon. It was
such a familiar sight, he didn‟t pay it any attention. His
sole focus was reaching the cemetery, and one grave in
particular.

He‟d buried his father three years earlier, in a plot that

had been in the Rendell family for a couple of hundred
years. His mother had been here for the best part of thirty
years, killed in a traffic accident while Ray was in the
third grade. Ray had never cared for tracing his family
tree. He didn‟t really need to. Generation after generation
of Rendell had barely strayed beyond the limits of
Paradise. He was the first to leave for the big city, and
even then circumstances had brought him back here,
unable to escape the town‟s pervasive influence.

The plot was overgrown, the last bunch of flowers he‟d

left here rotted away almost to nothing. It reminded him
how long it had been since he‟d last paid the grave a visit.
Now he really did have something to feel guilty about.
Making a mental note to come back later with fresh
flowers, he cleared his throat.

„Hi, Dad. I‟m sorry it‟s been a while. I wanted to talk

to you because I‟ve got something on my mind.‟ Knowing
there was no one around to overhear him, to judge him,
Ray launched into his speech, trying to make sense of
everything that nagged at him. „You see, I‟ve met
someone. Someone who just kind of wandered into my
life by accident, but – well, I don‟t think I‟ve ever fallen
for anyone so hard or so fast before. And the problem is
they‟re only 20, and I‟m not sure if I‟m really comfortable
with that kind of age gap.‟

Something rustled in the bushes close by. Startled, Ray

looked round, only to see a rabbit scampering between the
graves, its tail flashing white as it hopped away. He

laughed, a little ashamed of himself for being spooked by
the animal, then he turned back to the grave.

Taking a deep breath, he traced his father‟s name on

the headstone. „Actually, Dad, that‟s not the real problem.
It doesn‟t really have anything to do with them, I don‟t
think. You see, I‟m so aware that all the time I‟m taking
about this person as “them”, because I‟ve never been able
to admit to you that my lovers have all been men. I wish
I‟d had the guts to say this to you while you were still
here, Dad, but I was always afraid of your reaction.‟ A
lump rose to his throat, and he choked the words out
around it. „I didn‟t want you to hate me, or think less of
me because I‟m gay. Oh, Dad, I‟m so sorry we never had
this conversation while you were alive …‟

Ray didn‟t attempt to stem the tears that fell from his

eyes, on to the soft grass covering the grave. His sobs
were brief and bitter, but once they‟d passed, he rose from
the graveside feeling as though a burden had been lifted
just a little way. Simply confessing his feelings out loud,
even though his father wasn‟t around to hear them, had
made a difference. It wasn‟t the solution to all his
problems, but it was a start.

Glancing at his watch, he realised he should be

heading back to town. There were customers to serve –
and, he thought guiltily, Alfie, more than likely
wondering where the hell he‟d disappeared to.

Alfie stretched out, slowly surfacing from sleep. He
patted the bed at the side of him, but instead of the warm
body he expected to encounter, he felt only crumpled bed
linen. Where was Ray? Surely he hadn‟t dreamed what
had happened last night?

The slight, pleasurable soreness in his arse told him

otherwise, as did the terrycloth dressing gown cord, still

looped round the bed rail where it had been left once Ray
had untied him.

He‟d never had sex like it. For once, he‟d finally

gained the courage to ask for something more than just a
simple fuck. The moment Ray had fastened the cord
round his wrists, securing him in place so he could
plunder his arse, he‟d felt as though he was coming home.
For so long, he‟d had fantasies where he was bound and
being made to pleasure another man, or been tied,
helpless, as a hard cock thrust into his willing mouth or
his arsehole over and over. Until last night, he‟d never felt
comfortable about confessing those fantasies to anyone.
Ray – older, more experienced, more sensitive to his
needs than guys of his own age – had been the first one
he‟d trusted enough to blurt out his desires. Trusted
enough to think this could be the start of a beautiful
romance.

At least, he‟d thought he could trust him. Looking at

the empty space beside him, it seemed Ray was having
second thoughts. When he‟d asked Ray whether they
should be getting involved, he‟d expressed his doubts.
Those appeared to have been overcome the moment Ray‟s
warm mouth closed round Alfie‟s cock. But obviously
they‟d surfaced again with a vengeance. What else could
explain the man‟s absence?

Alfie heaved himself out of bed and went to the

bathroom, needing to empty his bladder. His elation was
ebbing away, replaced by a growing sense of hurt. He‟d
made himself vulnerable last night, shown Ray a side of
himself he usually kept hidden, and where had it got him?

If he‟d had anywhere else to go, he‟d have told Ray he

was really sorry, but he couldn‟t carry on working in the
diner any more. He must have earned enough to pay for
the items the man had bought him in the general store,

plus a little on top, but nowhere like what he needed to
get out to the west coast and find Brad. He supposed he
could try hitching his way to San Francisco, but the idea
still made him uneasy. Effectively, he was stuck here.

Still stewing on his dilemma, he was startled to hear a

door slamming somewhere below him. Clutching a hand
towel in front of him, he went out into the hall, looking
down over the banister rail to see where the noise had
come from.

To his surprise, he saw Ray standing by the front door,

taking off his jacket. There was a high colour in Ray‟s
cheeks and he seemed a little out of breath, as though he‟d
walked some distance at high speed.

„Morning, Alfie!‟ Ray called up the stairs, sounding

more cheerful than Alfie would‟ve expected, given the
circumstances. „It‟s really beautiful out there.‟

He beckoned to Alfie to join him. Thoroughly

confused, Alfie padded downstairs, wishing he‟d taken a
moment to tie the towel round him securely. As it was, he
felt acutely conscious that he was as good as naked, while
Ray was fully dressed.

„Is everything OK?‟ Alfie asked. „Only when I woke

up and you weren‟t there, I …‟

„Everything‟s fine, Alfie. I just needed time to sort a

few things out.‟ Ray pulled Alfie to him. „We‟ve got a
busy day today.‟

Caught in Ray‟s strong embrace, Alfie found there

were so many questions still buzzing round his brain. Just
where had Ray been? What did he need to sort out? And
where did it leave them?

That last question was partially answered as Ray‟s

warm lips pressed against his own. The kiss was hard,
demanding, Ray seeking to claim Alfie‟s mouth for his
own. Without thinking, Alfie wrapped his arms round

Ray‟s neck, the towel falling to the floor in the process.

When Ray finally broke the kiss, he stepped back a

pace to admire Alfie‟s naked body, eyes drawn to the
cock that stood proudly at full mast. Alfie blushed at the
strength of his response, but made no attempt to cover
himself.

„Oh, what a sight that is.‟ Ray‟s lips curled in a slow

smile. „If only I could have you working like that in the
diner. Just an apron to cover that big, hard dick and your
arse bare to the world as you moved between the
tables …‟

The thought set Alfie‟s cock twitching. The rude little

fantasies Ray weaved were so in tune with his own.
Games of public exposure, none of them possible in the
real world, but designed to keep him hard and on edge
throughout the day.

Ray grabbed Alfie‟s erection, hand moving nimbly

along its length. „How would you like that, Alfie? Naked
and at my beck and call, on display to all our
customers …‟

Alfie couldn‟t keep up with Ray‟s mood swings. One

minute the man was creeping out of bed before dawn, as
though he was ashamed of what they‟d done together, the
next he was playing with his cock, bringing him to a point
where his climax was only a couple of hot, breathless
moments away. A last turn of his fingers, concentrating
on the sweet spot just below Alfie‟s cockhead, and spunk
was jetting out over Ray‟s fist.

Slumped against the wall, Alfie was almost mortified

at how quickly Ray had drawn a climax from him,
evidence of how much he loved being teased and
tormented by the man‟s dirty words and clever fingers.

„Mmm, so sweet.‟ Ray licked the come from the back

of his hand, then fixed Alfie with a stern look. „Go get

dressed. We‟ll be opening in a few minutes.‟

Alfie scrambled up the stairs, knowing he needed to

have a serious talk with Ray about where he stood. He
knew he could very easily fall for the diner owner like he
never had for any other man, lust and growing friendship
turning to love. But what was the use in loving someone
who appeared to have so many secrets? Never mind that
when September rolled round, Alfie would have to be
back in Boston for the start of the fall term. Wherever his
future lay, it wasn‟t in Paradise with Ray, and there was
no point thinking otherwise.

Chapter Five

Ray busied himself with the breakfast orders, trying not to
let his gaze linger on Alfie as he bustled in and out of the
diner‟s kitchen. He hadn‟t planned on jerking the lad off
in the hall when he‟d returned from the cemetery. Indeed,
he‟d been prepared to outline a little of why he‟d slipped
out of the bed they‟d shared so early, and where he‟d
gone. But then he‟d seen Alfie, hair tousled from sleep,
using that silly hand towel to conceal his hard-on, and
been unable to resist the opportunity to kiss and caress
him. Alfie was so willing to please, and just a bit naïve
when it came to love and life, needing an older man to
show him the way. Ray could almost hear Rick the jerk‟s
voice in the back of his mind. „There you go, needing to
fix him again.‟ He ignored it.

Alfie had woken something in him he‟d thought lost

when he moved back to Paradise, where caring for his
ailing father and making sure the diner stayed in business
took priority over everything else. Now, with his father
long since dead and buried and the diner as successful as
it could be, given the town‟s ageing, dwindling
population, maybe it was time he finally started thinking
about his own needs. But people talked, and the last thing
Ray wanted was to be the subject of unwelcome, even
vicious tittle-tattle amongst the townsfolk.

Mae had noticed a change in him as soon as she‟d

walked through the door. „You seem pretty perky today,
Ray,‟ she‟d said, hanging up her coat. „If I didn‟t know
better, I‟d reckon you got laid last night.‟

„Just went for a walk and got some fresh Nebraska air

in my lungs, Mae, that‟s all,‟ Ray replied, fighting the
urge to confess that he‟d had an incredible time between
the sheets. Would he have been more willing to admit
what he‟d done if he‟d spent the night with a woman?
He‟d known Mae for long enough to be sure she wouldn‟t
look at him any differently if she was aware of the truth,
but still something held him back.

„Well, whatever you‟re up to, it looks like it‟s doing

you some good.‟

Ray said nothing. Fucking Alfie would definitely do

him good. Keeping him as his dirty little secret was a
different matter.

The diner was busier than usual that morning. A yard

sale was being held over at St Francis‟, to raise money for
church funds, and it seemed most of the organisers had
popped in for coffee and pancakes before the hard work
of selling all the donations began. Ray watched them,
chattering and laughing in loud, high voices as they
tucked into their food, dissecting the marriage of some
woman they all knew. Experience had taught him that
strong religious belief didn‟t necessarily equate to holding
narrow-minded views about others‟ lifestyles and
sexuality, but he‟d have admitted his feelings for Alfie to
almost anyone in Paradise before he shared them with the
gossips in the booth by the window.

As Mae was occupied taking orders, Alfie went over to

refill the cups of the church crowd. Ray couldn‟t fail to
notice how they cast appreciative glances at the way the
boy‟s jeans outlined his small, tight arse, and looked up at
him under lowered eyelashes as he poured them more

coffee. Flirt all you want, ladies, he thought, grinning to
himself. You don’t know it, but you haven’t got a chance
in hell.

„Honey.‟ Mae‟s voice was a purr in Ray‟s ear, startling

him back to awareness. „Hiring Alfie was the best thing
you ever did …‟

For a moment, he thought she‟d worked out the truth

of the relationship between them, and wondered what
he‟d done to give himself away.

„Everyone loves that cute English accent of his. I tell

you, we‟re going to need a bigger tip jar.‟ She pulled a
handful of bills from her uniform pocket and added them
to those already stuffed into the jar. With a wink, she
picked up the plates bearing a Western omelette and an
order of eggs Benedict that waited on the counter and
went to take them to the young couple in the corner booth.

The diner always shut at two on weekends. When Ray
closed up that Saturday, he was tempted to drag Alfie up
to the bedroom and pick up where they‟d left off the night
before, but he fought the urge. There would be time
enough for that later.

„When I was talking to the ladies from the church,‟

Alfie said, as they wandered through to the living room,
„they suggested we go over there and take a look at what
they‟re selling.‟

„Money burning a hole in your pocket, hey?‟ Ray

asked, grinning widely. Mae had shared out the contents
of the tip jar, and even accounting for the money he owed
out of his wages for his replacement wardrobe, Alfie had
appeared delighted at finally having a little cash to spend.
„There‟s no point. All the good stuff will have gone by
now. Unless you really want to treat yourself to a box of
Marley Jenkins‟ hard candies. They taste a lot better than

they look, apparently.‟

Alfie shook his head. „I‟d just like to talk a walk,

really. I haven‟t seen too much of the town since I got
here.‟

„You‟ve pretty much seen all that‟s worth seeing,

Alfie. Paradise isn‟t the most exciting of towns.‟

„So why do you stay here? You‟re such a good cook,

you could sell the diner, move away and open another one
just about anywhere.‟

Ray didn‟t really want to have this conversation, not

right now, but Alfie was persistent. Finally, he admitted,
„I tried some of that. The moving away part, at least. But I
had to come back. My old man got sick, needed someone
to take care of him. That‟s when I made a promise to him,
to keep the diner going after he died. He worked for so
many years in the place, took so much pride in it, I just
couldn‟t let all that hard work go to waste. And if I tried
to sell it now, who‟d buy it?‟ He sighed. „There‟s so little
to keep people here. If things keep going the way they
are, in another ten, twenty years‟ time, there won‟t be a
Paradise any longer.‟

Alfie didn‟t reply. Ray supposed there wasn‟t much he

could say, after a speech like that. Knowing he needed to
do something to lighten the mood, he snatched his keys
up from the coffee table. „But you‟re right. We need to
get out, do something. Let‟s go for a long walk, work up
an appetite, and tonight I‟ll cook you spaghetti with some
of my world-famous marinara sauce.‟

Despite his disparaging comments about the yard sale,

Ray found himself taking Alfie over to the church. The
event was coming to a close, and as he‟d predicted, there
was very little left to be sold. Most of what remained was
stuff he‟d never have a use for. He couldn‟t see himself
toting golf clubs, or needing a baby carriage or camping

equipment. Though as he looked at the two-man tent, he
couldn‟t help thinking about pitching it in the wildlife
park over at Kirkpatrick Basin, lying in the long grass
with Alfie and looking up at the stars. So close to nature,
they‟d be compelled to give in to their animal urges,
fucking and sucking each other till they howled out like
coyotes, their passionate cries swallowed up by the vast
emptiness of the night sky.

„Penny for them,‟ Alfie murmured, coming up behind

Ray.

„You ever been camping?‟ Ray asked, still holding one

of the tent poles.

„A long time ago, when I was at school. We went up to

the highlands of Scotland. It rained for three days straight
and I got covered in midge bites. Let‟s just say I only
tried it the once.‟

„Well, how do you fancy trying it again? I was

thinking we could drive out into the countryside, light a
fire, get back to nature …‟ His fingers skittered back and
forth along the pole, the gesture unmistakably sexual.

Alfie grinned. „What happened to the world-famous

spaghetti sauce?‟

„Ah, I didn‟t tell you. I also make world-famous

s‟mores.‟

From the baffled look on his face, Alfie clearly didn‟t

have a clue what a s‟more was. Ray smiled to himself as
he handed over ten dollars to pay for the tent.
Enlightening the boy was going to be so much fun.

The Kirkpatrick Basin area, less than ten miles down the
interstate from Paradise, had been developed over the past
decade as a wetland area for wild birds. In the spring, it
was a magnet for migrating ducks and snow geese as they
returned north, but in the high summer months there were

fewer birds and fewer overnight visitors. Ray filled Alfie
in on the history of the area as he loaded his newly-
acquired tent, along with all the other bits and pieces they
would need for a night‟s camping into the back of his
pick-up truck.

As they made the short drive out to the reserve, Alfie

realised he must have passed the spot on his long, arduous
trek from where Brad had dumped him. He didn‟t
remember it at all. He‟d done his best to blot that whole
day from his memory. But if he hadn‟t fought with Brad,
he‟d never have found himself banging on the door of
Ray‟s diner, never taken the first, faltering steps on what
could prove to be the path to something really special …

What was he thinking? He had to stop regarding his

relationship with Ray as anything more than a summer
fling, assuming it even progressed that far. Anything else
was far too complicated, not to mention unlikely.

Parking the truck in the car park at the entrance to the

reserve, they followed a trail out into the low-lying
grasslands. A notice in the car park informed them of the
permitted behaviour once they were on Nebraska Game
and Parks Commission land. There were no restrictions
when it came to pitching their tent, but they could only
light a fire in the fireplaces provided. Alfie had no idea
whether wildfires were common in the area, but it seemed
like a sensible enough precaution.

It didn‟t take them long to find a suitable site, in a

sheltered hollow, and between them they set about putting
up the tent. Dusk was falling, and it seemed to Alfie they
could be the only two people left in the world, such was
the sense of solitude around them. Only the occasional cry
of a night bird broke the stillness.

Ray set about constructing and lighting their fire, using

kindling and firelighters he‟d picked up at the general

store. Alfie realised that once Ray got an idea in his head,
he pursued it with single-minded thoroughness. He
supposed that had helped with everything he‟d had to do
on his return to Paradise. When he‟d been talking about
his father‟s illness, and his promise to keep the diner
open, Alfie had sensed there‟d been more to the story,
something Ray wasn‟t yet willing to reveal. Perhaps it had
something to do with his reluctance to admit his true
sexuality to the world. All Alfie knew was that Ray would
talk about it in his own sweet time.

Along with everything else they needed, Ray had

brought a small wicker hamper. He opened it to reveal,
among other things, a vacuum flask. „Fancy a drink? I
made some Irish coffee before we left.‟

He poured a generous amount into a plastic mug, and

handed it to Alfie. The coffee had been liberally laced
with whiskey, and as Alfie took a sip he felt it warming
him all the way to his belly.

„OK, so let‟s get those s‟mores on the go,‟ Ray

announced, rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

A s‟more, Alfie quickly learned, consisted of a

marshmallow toasted over the fire till it melted, before
being sandwiched, along with a square of chocolate,
between two Graham crackers, the American equivalent
of digestive biscuits. They were messy to make, but
delicious to eat, and there was something almost hypnotic
about staring into the fire, watching the marshmallow
slowly turn molten on the point of a stick.

„I told you this would be fun.‟ Ray‟s eyes shone in the

light from the campfire. He divided the last of the coffee
between his own mug and Alfie‟s. „You having a good
time, Alfie?‟

„I can‟t remember the last time I had a better one,‟

Alfie admitted. Saturdays back in Boston, he‟d usually be

cooped up in his room, studying, oblivious to the fact
everyone around him was partying. Sometimes he‟d find
himself being dragged out for a couple of beers, or to see
one of the many covers bands that played the local bar
circuit. Never would he have imagined he‟d find himself
spending Saturday night on a wild bird reserve, eating
sticky campfire treats with a gorgeous older man.

Alfie drained his mug, wishing there was more of the

wickedly alcoholic coffee. It was making him feel loose,
relaxed, ready for almost anything. Flopping back in the
grass, he gazed up at the star-strewn sky. The only thing
that would make this moment better was having Ray‟s
body twined with his.

„It‟s so beautiful here,‟ he murmured. „Come and join

me, Ray. Come and look at the stars.‟

„So when did the bus boy start giving his boss the

orders?‟ Ray set down the stick he‟d been using to toast
the marshmallows. He came over to Alfie, but didn‟t lie
down beside him, as Alfie had hoped. „Don‟t you know
who‟s in charge around here?‟

„You are – sir.‟ Alfie added the last word with a

hiccupping giggle. Whatever game Ray had decided to
play, he was more than willing to be part of it. His mind
raced back to the night before, when Ray had responded
to his need to be tied up and taken. If his boss had
suddenly decided to adopt the dominant role again, he
wasn‟t complaining.

„I‟m glad to hear it. And just so we‟re both sure of the

fact, you‟re going to demonstrate how good you are at
doing what you‟re told. Stand up, Alfie.‟

As if on automatic pilot, Alfie rose to his feet.
„It‟s a warm night, isn‟t it?
Alfie nodded. The June temperature, even in the small

hours, didn‟t seem to dip much below 20 degrees

Centigrade here, so they hadn‟t needed to bring anything
in the way of warm clothing, or a heavy sleeping bag.

„So warm,‟ Ray continued, „that I don‟t really think

you need any of your clothes, do you? So why don‟t you
take them off?‟

Did Ray really expect him to undress just like that?

They might have been out in the middle of nowhere, but
there was still the possibility of midnight hikers, come to
enjoy this beautiful summer‟s night. But even as Alfie‟s
mind pondered the chances of discovery, his fingers were
undoing the laces of his boots. He kicked them off, along
with his socks, bare toes wriggling in delight at the feel of
the soft grass beneath them.

Turning to his jeans, he unbuckled his belt, popped the

fly buttons. Ray said nothing as he took them off, just
watched him with a mixture of satisfaction and raw
desire. His expression seemed to suggest he‟d never for a
moment doubted Alfie would obey his instructions.

Alfie‟s T-shirt followed the rest of his clothes, ending

in a pile by his feet. He stood before Ray in nothing but
the tight white briefs he‟d bought at the general store. His
cock was already uncoiling as best it could in the
restricting cotton, seeking its freedom.

„Underwear, too,‟ Ray demanded. „Show me

everything you‟ve got.‟

The words sent a strong jolt of excitement to Alfie‟s

cock. Conscious that Ray‟s gaze had sunk to the level of
his crotch, he eased down his briefs, his dick bobbing up
over the waistband, eager for attention.

Despite his embarrassment at having to strip, Alfie was

revelling in the feel of the warm night air against his bare
skin. For reasons he couldn‟t explain, he seemed to feel
every sensation all the more keenly because he wore not a
stitch while Ray hadn‟t so much as unbuttoned his shirt.

Was swimming permitted here? He strove to remember

all the prohibitions on the official notice in the car park.
The night was just perfect for skinny-dipping, and they‟d
passed a lake a few hundred yards back down the trail.
Maybe Ray would let him–

The next command made him forget all about the

possibility of a refreshing swim. „Hands on your head and
turn round slowly. I want to see that cute arse of yours.‟

If anyone stumbled across them now, there‟d be no

doubting there was a deep sexual undercurrent to events.
A boy stripping off for a refreshing dip was one thing.
That same boy, standing submissively in a posture
designed to display his hard, yearning cock and firm
backside, was something else entirely.

Alfie turned in a lazy pirouette, giving Ray plenty of

time to feast on the sight of his naked charms.

„Very good,‟ Ray said at length. He reached for his zip.

The metallic rasp as he tugged it down was the loudest
sound in the hollow.

Alfie‟s mouth watered at the prospect of seeing Ray‟s

hefty cock once more. He‟d be doing more than look at it
before the night was out, that was certain, but for now his
eyes were fixed on the smooth, cut length as Ray freed it
from his pants. Just as hard as Alfie‟s own, beads of
precome shone at its tip. He longed to lick them off, just
as he longed to devour every last drop of Ray‟s come.

„Come over here, Alfie. Show me just how good you

are with your mouth.‟

Alfie dropped to his knees, crawling through the grass

to where Ray stood waiting. The ticklish blades felt like
thousands of tiny fingers brushing against his skin,
stimulating his sensitive nerve-endings.

Ray‟s jeans and underwear were bunched at his ankles,

his cock jutting out from beneath the tails of his plaid

shirt. On another man, the effect might have been
comical, but to Alfie‟s eyes Ray looked magnificent, cool
and in total control of the situation. He took a firm grip
around the base of Ray‟s shaft, breathing in the hot,
musky scent of his crotch as his face nuzzled close to it.
Closing his eyes, he plunged his mouth down on to the
steely length, swallowing as much of it as he could.

His lover must have been expecting a more subtle

approach, because he gasped in surprise at the feel of
being immediately buried in Alfie‟s throat. But for Alfie,
last night had been about slow, tender caresses, gentle
licks and a gradual exploration of Ray‟s body. Tonight,
roused to wildness by his surroundings, he was putting on
a more primitive, urgent performance. His head bobbed
furiously, spit drooling from the corners of his mouth and
trickling down towards Ray‟s balls. As he sucked, his fist
shuttled up and down, increasing the level of sensation
Ray must be feeling.

His own cock was almost painfully hard, demanding to

be stroked, but even without being told, Alfie knew Ray‟s
pleasure came first. Only when the other man had reached
orgasm would he be allowed his own release. Maybe not
even then.

Thoughts of having his own gratification delayed till a

moment of Ray‟s choosing spurred Alfie on to suck
harder, faster. Remembering what had been done to him
the night before, and the shattering effect it had on him,
he ran a finger over Ray‟s arsehole, seeking to enter by
the back door.

„Oh, God, yeah! That‟s it.‟ Ray lost all semblance of

control, his hips bucking, pushing even more of his cock
between Alfie‟s lips. Alfie held still, letting Ray fuck his
mouth until, with a roar loud enough to startle the birds
from the trees, he shot his load. When he pulled out, spent

and gasping, Alfie took hold of his shaft once more,
lovingly licking it clean.

„Thank you.‟ No longer the stern master, Ray helped

Alfie to his feet. Pins and needles prickled in his legs as
Ray held him tight. Their lips met, the kiss deep and
tender, Ray‟s mouth tasting of whiskey and chocolate.

If only we could stay like this forever, Alfie thought,

breaking the kiss to stare into Ray‟s hazel eyes. Holding
each other, loving each other. Never having to get back to
the real world.

It was a nice dream, but one he knew could never

become reality. Still, it felt good to rest his head against
Ray‟s chest for a long moment, feeling the other man‟s
heart beating in time with his own.

„Maybe we should do something about this, huh?‟ As

Ray spoke, he caught hold of Alfie‟s cock. His touch, the
teasing tone of his voice, made Alfie‟s senses come alive
again. All it took was for Ray‟s fingers to start skating
back and forth, tugging Alfie‟s foreskin over the hard
core, to have him whimpering with need.

„Please, sir.‟ Now there was no joking around when

Alfie used the term, just pure longing. „Please make me
come.‟

„Make you?‟ Ray chuckled, never varying the slow,

steady pace with which he was wanking Alfie‟s dick. „I
don‟t know about that. Maybe I‟ll allow you. Or maybe
I‟ll just fasten you to a tree and leave you there all night,
cock hard and aching. How would you like that, huh?
Wanting so badly to come, and knowing you couldn‟t do
one damn thing to make it happen …‟

„Whatever you want, sir.‟ Alfie was so close to the

edge, knowing only a few more strokes would have him
spilling his seed over Ray‟s fist.

„Maybe some hiker would find you there, bound and

helpless. Oh, he‟d think about setting you free. You‟d beg
him so nicely. But maybe he wouldn‟t be able to resist
dropping to his knees, taking your cock in his mouth. Just
think of it, Alfie, a complete stranger sucking you off.
And when he‟d done that, he‟d untie you, spin you round
and fuck your tight little arse …‟

Alfie groaned, lost in the fantasy Ray was spinning.

Just at the moment when he knew he couldn‟t hold back
any longer, Ray stopped wanking him. He slumped to his
knees, choking back his disappointment at being denied
the orgasm he craved.

Fishing deep in the wicker hamper, Ray brought out a

condom and anal lube. With a grin, he asked, „What is it
the Boy Scouts say? “Be prepared”?‟

Fucking bareback would be more appropriate to the

feeling of being at one with nature, but Alfie appreciated
Ray‟s concern for his safety. Sprawled in the grass, he
watched Ray rip open the little foil packet, rolling the
condom down over an erection that had already revived.
He shivered with anticipation at the thought of that big,
sheathed cock sliding up his hole.

Something cool and sticky trickled down the crack of

his arse. Lube, and plenty of it. A finger pressed at the
entrance to his arse, working in just a little way. Even that
intrusion was enough to have Alfie humping against the
ground, excited beyond measure.

The finger pushed in to the second knuckle. „Does that

feel good?‟ Ray asked.

„Yes, sir, but it‟ll feel better when your cock takes its

place.‟ Alfie‟s cheekiness earned him a sharp swat on
both buttocks. He groaned, already on the verge of
coming. Thinking of complicated chemical formulas
helped to quell the sensation, though it was hard to
concentrate on anything but the feel of Ray‟s probing

finger. It was swiftly joined by another, its passage eased
by the lube and the gradual loosening of his tight ring.

When the fingers withdrew, Alfie heard Ray shuffling

into place behind him. A moment‟s pause, as though Ray
was contemplating the sight of him, arse raised and ready
to be penetrated, then that thick, condom-covered cock
was easing into him. Inch by inch, he felt himself being
filled with hot, solid man-flesh.

„Get ready for the fuck of your life.‟ Ray gave him a

moment to become used to the feel of the cock in his arse,
then started to thrust. Alfie knew that as Ray had already
come once, he‟d be able to keep going for quite a while.
He, on the other hand, was sure it wouldn‟t take more
than a minute before he was shooting his load into the
grass.

Reaching for Alfie‟s wrists, Ray brought them

together, pinning them in the small of his back. For Alfie,
it mimicked the sensation of being in restraint, keeping
him in place as his lover pounded ruthlessly into his arse.

Ray murmured something close to his ear. Lost in his

pre-orgasmic daze, Alfie couldn‟t be sure, but it sounded
like, „I‟ve never wanted anyone the way I want you.‟

„Fuck me,‟ Alfie begged. „Make me yours. Now and

forever.‟ The words slipped out before he could stop
them, laying his emotions bare. If Ray said anything in
response, he didn‟t hear it. His cock was spewing come
over the ground beneath him, spasms of pure ecstasy
causing his arse to clench around Ray‟s length.

Somehow, Ray kept going, defying the pressure that

should have milked the come from his balls. He continued
thrusting for a good couple of minutes before, with a final
hard thrust, he filled Alfie‟s arse with his spunk.

Too exhausted to do anything but lay where he was,

Alfie sighed as Ray kissed a long, slow trail down the

length of his back. „Thank you,‟ he said at length. „For
tonight. For everything.‟

Ray flopped on to his back beside him. „This is crazy.‟
Alfie half-rose in alarm, expecting to hear some

comment about the impossibility of their being together.
„What is? I think it‟s pretty much perfect.‟

„I mean, we carry that tent all this way, we spend half

an hour putting the damn thing up. And for what? I don‟t
know about you, but I‟m quite happy to lie here all night.‟

„Me, too.‟
Alfie snuggled into the crook of Ray‟s arm. There was

so much he wanted to add, the words „I love you‟
hovering close to his lips. But Ray‟s breathing had slowed
and in moments he was snoring gently. Naked beneath the
glittering canopy of stars, Alfie closed his eyes and joined
his lover in sleep.

Chapter Six

They only just made it back to Paradise before the first
customers arrived at the diner the following morning. Ray
could have stayed out in the country all day, walking the
birding trail with Alfie, pausing every so often to share
long, hot kisses with the boy. But there were breakfasts to
be served, townsfolk to be kept fed. Not for the first time,
Ray wished he could shrug off the burden of
responsibility that came with running such a vital
business. But as he‟d said to Alfie, if he wasn‟t prepared
to run the diner, who was?

Besides, throwing himself into his work might not be

such a bad thing. It would help prevent him thinking
about what would happen when Alfie had to leave town.
Last night, under the stars, they‟d made a real connection,
so deep it was almost frightening. This was nothing like
what he‟d had with Rick, or Jeff; it felt an awful lot like
love. He could no longer deny the strength of his feelings,
and that made it all the harder to pretend to the world
Alfie was nothing more than the boy who cleared tables
and mopped the diner floor.

Despite his misgivings, and the strain of keeping his
relationship with Alfie a secret, life settled into a pattern
as the weeks went by. By day, the job of running the diner
kept him busy, and at night he tutored Alfie in the art of

obedience. He quickly established the boy wasn‟t much
into pain, beyond the occasional light spanking on his
bare arse, but he loved to be ordered around. Nothing
seemed to get Alfie hotter than having to be naked while
he remained fully dressed, and he delighted in weaving
stories where Alfie was kept in the nude at all times, even
being displayed to others in that state.

Alfie never tired of sucking Ray‟s cock, or having his

tight, responsive arsehole played with. He reacted eagerly
to each new experience, letting Ray guide him in his
willing submission. If only it didn‟t have to come to an
end.

Still, there was enough time left to introduce Alfie to a

few new games before he went back to college. Ray had
gone on line one night while Alfie was sleeping, and
ordered some goods from a sex toy website who promised
fast, discreet delivery. He‟d chosen a slim jelly dildo,
specially designed for anal penetration, and a string of
silicone love beads. He couldn‟t wait to grease those up
and slide them into Alfie‟s arse, only to pull them out at
the moment he came …

Ray was still thinking about all the fun they were

going to have with those toys when the bells over the
diner door jangled. He glanced at the clock. A couple of
minutes to eight.

„We‟re closed,‟ he called out. It had been a slow night,

and he‟d already sent Mae home. Alfie was mopping the
floor of the rest rooms, before starting on the main body
of the diner. The last customer had left almost half an
hour ago. Now here was someone wanting service just as
he was about to shut the place for the night.

„I don‟t think so.‟ The voice was low, carrying an edge

of menace.

Ray looked over to the doorway. He prided himself on

knowing everyone in Paradise, but he didn‟t recognise the
man who stood there wearing a shabby camo pattern
jacket, a baseball cap pulled down over his eyes.

The stranger pushed the door to, sliding shut the bolt at

the top and turning the sign to “CLOSED”. His
movements were twitchy, repetitive, as though he was
high on something. As he moved closer, Ray realised he
was clutching a gun in his left hand.

Cold fear skittered down his spine, followed by a rush

of sickly heat. Had the man been watching the diner,
waiting till it was empty? „What do you want?‟ he asked.

„All the money in the register,‟ the stranger demanded,

waving the gun in Ray‟s direction. „Just give it to me nice
and slowly, you won‟t get hurt.‟

Ray knew better than to argue with him, ringing up “no

sale” on the register and watching the drawer spring open.
He‟d always thought he‟d fight back if he was robbed,
rather than meekly handing over his hard-earned takings.
The reality of the situation was starkly different. They
couldn‟t have taken more than $300 today, and the
rational part of his mind told him it was a stupidly small
amount to risk getting shot over. If the man was in need
of money to pay for his next fix, that should more than
cover it.

He placed the bills on the counter, constantly aware of

the gun barrel only inches from his chest. For all he knew,
the thing wasn‟t even loaded, but he couldn‟t take the
risk.

„There you go, that‟s everything,‟ he said, watching the

thief scoop up the cash and stuff it into his jacket pocket.
He was doing his best to remember every detail of the
man‟s face – the pinched cheeks, the sparse moustache
over his thin top lip – so he could give the police the best
description he could when he reported the robbery.

At that moment, there was a clattering noise from

somewhere at the back of the diner. Alfie, kicking the
metal mop bucket across the floor, no doubt. Don’t come
any closer, Ray wanted to call out. Don’t put yourself in
any kind of danger. He tried to gesture to Alfie to stay
where he was, and not draw any attention to himself.

The robber misinterpreted Ray‟s surreptitious arm

wave. He fixed Ray with cold, dead eyes. „What the fuck
are you playing at, man? You sending someone to call the
cops?‟

„No, nothing like that. I swear.‟
The robber‟s trigger finger flexed. Ray heard a bang,

felt pain blossom in his left leg. He staggered backwards,
howling out in shock and agony. Clutching at the edge of
the counter, he fought to keep a grip of consciousness.
The last thing he saw was Alfie, racing towards the
gunman, then the world around him went black.

Alfie stepped out of the men‟s room, mentally crossing
the chore off his list. He needed to let Ray know the paper
dispenser needed refilling, and they were running low on
soap in the women‟s room. Surprised to see Ray taking an
order from a customer after the diner had officially
closed, it took him a moment to work out what was wrong
with the picture. People popping in for a late snack didn‟t
usually do so holding a gun. The diner was being robbed.

What should he do? He set down the bucket,

wondering if he could reach into his jeans pocket for his
phone and call the police without alerting the robber. Ray
shot him an anxious glance at the sound, waving his hand
at knee level as though to let him know he had the
situation under control.

Which was when everything went crazy. A shot rang

out, impossibly loud to Alfie‟s ears. Ray‟s cry was high-

pitched, anguished, as he lost his grip on the counter top
and fell to the ground.

Torn between looking after the welfare of his lover and

doing something about the man who‟d shot him, Alfie
didn‟t think twice. Heedless of his own safety, of the
possibility of there being more bullets in the gun, he
hurled the mop bucket at the robber. It caught him full on
the side of the head, and he took a couple of stumbling
steps, dropping the gun in the process. Alfie raced over,
kicking it out of the man‟s grasp as he sought to retrieve
it.

Mimicking the stance he‟d seen in so many action

films, legs wide apart and both hands clutching the gun,
Alfie pointed it straight at the robber. „Get up,
motherfucker!‟ The line sounded faintly ridiculous
delivered in a Home Counties accent, he knew that, but it
seemed to have the desired effect. The man scrambled to
his feet, all his cocky bravado melting away now Alfie
held the gun.

Gesturing with the barrel, inwardly terrified of

shooting the man by mistake, Alfie ordered him over to
the diner‟s cold store. Pushing the snivelling robber
inside, he shut the door, placing a chair under the door
handle to make sure it couldn‟t be opened from the inside.

Checking Ray, he quickly ascertained he was

unconscious, his pulse weak but steady. Only then did he
call 911.

The 20 minutes Alfie spent waiting for the paramedics

to arrive were the longest of his life. He still couldn‟t
quite believe he‟d been able to overpower the robber, his
giddy euphoria mixed with the delayed shock of being in
a life-threatening situation. He wrapped his apron round
Ray‟s thigh, making an improvised tourniquet to try to
stem the flow of blood from the bullet wound. Crouched

by Ray‟s side, he talked to his lover in a voice that choked
with tears, telling him everything was going to be all
right.

„Please don‟t die,‟ Alfie begged. „I love you so much. I

couldn‟t bear to lose you.‟

Ray‟s eyelids fluttered in response. He didn‟t open his

eyes, but Alfie was convinced he could hear every word.

„Stay with me,‟ he said, keeping a tight hold of Ray‟s

hand, aware of the need to do all he could to keep him
losing consciousness once more. „Help‟ll be here soon, I
promise.‟

When the paramedics finally banged on the door of the

diner, Alfie could hardly bear to tear himself away from
Ray‟s side to let them in. They must have known from his
anxious looks as they made Ray comfortable on a gurney,
ready for the journey down to the hospital in Aurora, his
need for reassurance that Ray was going to be all right,
that the man was more than just his boss. But they didn‟t
make any judgement.

Neither did the two uniformed policemen who arrived

a couple of minutes later to take his statement and bundle
the chilly and confused thief into the back of their patrol
car.

„That was a brave thing you did,‟ the older of the two

policemen told Alfie. „Stupid, too. You could have got
yourself killed.‟

„I know,‟ Alfie replied, „but I‟d do anything for him.‟
The utter conviction in his voice couldn‟t fail to let the

cop know just how he felt about Ray. He only hoped his
actions wouldn‟t have been in vain.

Epilogue

Late afternoon sun streamed in through Ray‟s bedroom
window. On the road outside, a car cruised by, windows
down and its radio blasting out slow-paced country rock.

Just another lazy Sunday in Paradise, Alfie thought,

pausing in the act of trailing kisses along Ray‟s lightly-
furred pecs. Ray‟s nipple stood up hard, the tiny bud
almost demanding to feel Alfie‟s tongue swirling over it.

It was just over a week since Ray had been discharged

from the hospital. They‟d kept him in for a couple of days
after the attempted robbery. He‟d needed only minor
surgery, but he‟d lost a lot of blood, the surgeon who
performed the operation explained, the bullet having
nicked an artery on its passage through his leg. If Alfie
hadn‟t been there to put pressure on the wound, the
outcome could have been a lot worse.

Alfie spent an anxious, sleepless night waiting for the

surgeon to come and inform him how the operation had
gone. Somehow, he still found the presence of mind to
ring Mae and tell her about the attempted robbery. „We‟ll
have to close the diner till Ray‟s up and around again,‟ he
said. „I‟m sorry, but there‟s no way I can handle the
cooking duties without him. I can just about boil an egg,
but that‟s all.‟

Within half an hour, Mae rang back. She‟d made a few

phone calls, letting people know Ray was in hospital.

Luanne Wilkins, who‟d organised the church yard sale,
had immediately offered to help out in the diner kitchen in
his absence. If she had commitments, then someone else
would surely step in. Now Alfie began to see another side
of small town life: the way people rallied round when a
member of the community was in trouble; the warm-
hearted spirit of friends and neighbours.

The most unexpected side effect of the shooting, and

Alfie‟s battle with the robber, was the arrival of a stream
of diners from out of town, who‟d seen the story on the
local news and wanted to visit the place for themselves.
Several of them insisted on having their photo taken with
“the young English hero”, as the news report had
described Alfie. He was slightly uncomfortable with all
the attention, but Mae told him to enjoy it, and all the
good wishes that came with it.

When Ray came back to work, he was amazed by the

diner‟s new-found fame, but delighted when so many of
these curious customers vowed to return, won over by
Mae‟s unforced friendliness and the quality of his
cooking. From struggling to keep the diner afloat, he was
enjoying business like he‟d never known.

„Who‟d have thought the summer would turn out like

this?‟ Alfie said, half to himself, resuming his oral
exploration of Ray‟s chest.

Ray rolled on to his side, Alfie snuggling up against

him so they lay together face to face. „Well, I could‟ve
lived without the getting shot part, but hey, even that has
its compensations …‟ He reached down to take hold of
Alfie‟s swollen cock, making it harden even further with
his sure touch. „I could really get used to being waited on
hand and foot.‟

He‟d be happy to do it to, Alfie wanted to tell him, if

only he wasn‟t haunted by the looming spectre of his

return to Boston. Instead, he planted a deepening kiss on
Ray‟s lips, relaxing into the delicious sensation of being
tugged and teased by his lover. Grasping Ray‟s cock, his
own fingers began to move in the same rhythm, a slow,
deft dance of mutual masturbation.

Sweaty, urgent sex had its place, and Alfie knew he

could never tire of feeling Ray‟s cock buried deep in his
arse. But sometimes languorous caresses were just as
good, and until Ray‟s leg was properly healed, it didn‟t
hurt to take things easy.

His fist moved smoothly up and down Ray‟s length,

his fingers giving a little twist on every upstroke. From
experience, he‟d learned that was one of Ray‟s very
favourite touches, something guaranteed to have him
writhing against the sheet. In return, Ray gave his balls
the lightest of squeezes, sending sensations through his
body that seemed to spread out from the root of his cock.

Every now and then they paused to plant a kiss on the

other‟s lips or cheek or eyelids. They were breathing
faster now, gazing into each other‟s eyes, lost in the thrill
of giving and receiving pleasure. The room smelled of
their musky excitement, a scent that roused Alfie to even
greater heights of bliss. Try as he could to hold back the
moment of release, when Ray stepped up the pace of his
hard, pumping strokes, he let out a groan, feeling his
come jet out to land on the bedcovers bedside him.

The sight of Alfie, head thrown back in ecstasy as he

surrendered to his orgasm, was clearly too much for Ray.
He came moments after, every bit as powerfully as Alfie,
before flopping on to his back, grinning with satisfaction.

Long moments passed when neither of them spoke.

Alfie felt as though he was floating back into his body
from a great height, slowly recovering all his faculties.

„So what am I going to do when you leave?‟ Ray said

as they cuddled together, making Alfie realise he hadn‟t
been able to deflect him from the conversation about their
future. „I really wish you didn‟t have to, you know.‟

„So do I,‟ Alfie admitted, „but I don‟t have a choice. I

have to go back to Boston, and you have to stay here.‟

„I don‟t know about that.‟ Ray propped himself up on

one elbow. „I‟ve been doing some serious thinking about
what I‟m going to do with the diner.‟

Alfie couldn‟t keep the shocked expression from

crossing his face. „But I thought you said you wouldn‟t
sell the place because no one would want to buy it?‟

„That was before it was on every news bulletin from

here to Lincoln, before hordes of tourists were queuing up
to eat there. The Paradise Diner is famous now, Alfie, like
it or not, and if I‟m not here to run it I‟m sure there‟s
someone else who‟d take it on.‟

„So where would you go?‟
„I don‟t know.‟ Ray‟s smile was sly. „The idea of

opening a little place in Boston sounds good, you know?‟

„But why?‟ Alfie‟s heart hammered in his chest at the

thought of Ray moving to be near him.

„Because when I was lying there with a bullet in my

leg, not knowing whether I was going to bleed to death on
the diner floor, I heard every word you said. How you
didn‟t want to lose me, how you loved me … And though
I couldn‟t say those words back at the time, I wanted to.
I‟ve wanted to every day since, but something kept
holding me back.‟

„It‟s all right,‟ Alfie reassured him. „You don‟t have to

say them.‟

„Look at me, Alfie. I couldn‟t admit to my old man that

I was gay until long after he was dead. I couldn‟t admit it
to anyone in town because I was scared of how they‟d
treat me if they knew. And now I can‟t tell you that I love

you like I‟ve never loved anyone else when you‟re lying
in my arms. What kind of man am I?‟

„The most wonderful man I‟ve ever met.‟ If this was

the time for laying cards on the table, Alfie was prepared
to be as honest as he could. Whatever it took to carve out
the best future he and Ray could have together. „And if
you only love me half as much as I love you, that‟s more
than good enough for me.‟

„Oh, Alfie.‟ Ray pulled him close, into the most secure

of embraces. „From the night you stumbled into the diner
I was worried I might be trying to fix you, and all the time
I was the one who needed fixing. Well, the truth is I love
you with all my heart, and I just don‟t care who knows it
any more …‟

Suddenly, the prospect of returning to college didn‟t

seem so bad, not when Ray was intent on joining him in
the city, making some kind of commitment to him.
Whatever the sign at the city limits might say, paradise
was where you found it. And Alfie knew in that moment
he couldn‟t have wished to find it anywhere but in Ray‟s
arms.

Xcite Books help make loving better

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