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“Yes,” he said. “Very good. I dreamt…I was inside you…”

“Did you…ummm…like it?”

“Check your text messages.”

When I looked at my phone, I discovered he’d texted me a picture: a black jockstrap was pulled aside to reveal an erect penis. His, I presumed. It was impressive, jutting out of a thicket of unruly pubic hair.

“You like?”

“I like,” I said as Roscoe stirred in my underwear. Roscoe! Early on, in a playful mood, Jackson had named my dick Roscoe. I’ve no idea why. And I hadn’t thought of this in years.

“Hello?” Rio said in my ear as my worlds collided—the world of Jackson and the world of Rio.

“Hi.Hello.I’m here. Sorry, I was distracted by this picture.”

Can I tell you something?”

“Of course. You can tell me anything.”

“I’ve never thought about having sex with a guy before…”

“And now?”

“Now, I can’tstopthinking about it—except you’re the only guy I can imagine being intimate with.”

I didn’t know what to say, couldn’t stop smiling into the phone.

“Hello?” You there?”

“I’m here.”

“OK, I gotta go. I just wanted you to know that in case I get run over by a bus or something.”

I don’t expect this absurd flirtation with Rio to go anywhere, but it does help me to think about Jackson less. And then there’s the romantic allure of developing a relationship with your secret high school crush decades after the fact.

I suppose Rio is seducing me less with the promise of sex than the promise of romance, of a dream coming true, of a second chance, of love after the apocalypse.

Monday, March 20, 2017

Rio:Where are you, babe? I’ve been messaging you all morning.

Oren:Sorry. I had a colonoscopy scheduled for this morning.

Rio:Everything OK?

Oren:Yeah. Precautionary. I was having some issues with bleeding. Turns out I’m fine.

Rio:You got your results already?

Oren:Yeah. Dr gave me results as soon as I woke up. I got a WRITTEN report—with the most appalling photos. LOL

Rio:Of your asshole? Or your ass’s interior?

Oren:Interior. Worse, there wereeightpeople in the room when they put me under. All of them there presumably to look up my butt.

Rio:Well, I know you like an audience…

Oren:Ha-ha. I told them I was excited to see so many people turn out to view my innards. They actually applauded. It was hilarious…