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Benjamin Trafton was a 23-year-old grad student at the University of Emberford studying finance, no doubt to follow in his father, Jacob Trafton’s footsteps in one day taking over the family's investment firm.

He played football in college and made it his entire identity—that, and being a spoiled brat with a gold-plated buttplug.

He'd been born into fifth-generation wealth and gone to private school his entire life.

When he was 19, he crashed his Porsche on Highway 5 after leaving a frat party.

His father had managed to sweep most of it under the rug, despite the fact that two other people were hospitalized because of his stupidity.

Despite that little faux pas, Benny-boy played by the rules.

He got good grades and had a very bright future.

But his greatest accomplishment by far was managing to secure a date with my Alex.

They’d been chatting online now for over a month, and Alex had finally agreed to meet him in person.

I was surprised when Alex had caved, given their chat history.

Honestly, he really hadn’t seemed that interested in Ben.

They chatted sporadically about different subjects, but it wasn’t ever sexual in nature.

I figured Alex had just continued to respond out of boredom or loneliness.

But there I was, getting ready for their first date.

Once I’d walked Alex half a block to the subway station and made sure he boarded the train without issue, I hurried back to my car and grabbed the box.

I was still conflicted about leaving it for him, but I couldn’t stand to see him cold and uncomfortable anymore.

He had started getting paid from the Westing House project, and I know he had some savings from McDonald's—why hadn't he gotten himself some new gloves?

I never saw Alex buy himself anything, except food.

He’d been wearing the same three hoodies, shirts, and jeans for the last year.

I knew he hated shopping.

The supermarket even freaked him out— when he went into the store, it was 10 minutes before they closed.

He’d grab what he could carry in his hands, make a beeline for the self-checkout, and leave as quickly as possible.

My pulse rate increased as I neared the door to his room.

The parking lot was a ghost town, and I didn’t even think anyone was manning the front desk in the office.

It was so rare that anyone ever actually stayed here; it had to be a front for something more nefarious.

Drugs? Guns? I would be so relieved when Alex moved into Westing House.

He deserved to have a nice space that he felt safe in—a home of his own.

I tied the envelope containing the note to the box with a ribbon and tied it into a bow before leaving it in front of his door, along with the roses I’d picked up at the florist on the way over.

I figured this fed two birds with the same spoon.

It would get Alex a nice pair of gloves so he didn’t get frostbite due to his own stubbornness.

Plus, he would immediately think they were from Tom.

But, for now, we were headed to Le Petit Delice Brasserie.

I snickered to myself as I pulled the car away from the motel and towards the expressway.

“Oh, Benny… this is going to go poorly for you.”

Alex wouldn’t eat anything he didn’t immediately recognize.

There was a list of safe foods he was willing to eat, and he didn’t really stray far from it.

Wasn’t big on trying new things.

There was not a snowball's chance in hell that he was putting anything on that French menu into his mouth.

He was just weird with food.

I’d literally watched him eat the same burger and fries for dinner nine nights in a row.

He was okay with beef and chicken in most cases, as long as it wasn’t covered in sauce or cheese.

The Millers had taken him out for his birthday, and he had ordered a steak.

He really enjoyed that.

I’d never seen him eat pork. And he avoided seafood at all costs. Ben knew nothing about what made Alex happy, and that thought infused my soul with delicious glee.

I parked in a public garage and hung back by the street corner across from the subway station Alex would be emerging from.

I checked the time on my phone—any minute, now.

I opened up the gallery on my cell and thumbed through the pictures I’d taken of Ben.

I guess he was okay looking; objectively handsome.

He had a hard body from sports, but, from what I was able to dig up, had always struggled a bit with his weight.

Well, I wasn’t one to judge.

I shuffled through the nude shots I’d gotten in the locker room of his gym.

His naked body was all right, but it wasn’t anything to write home about.

His dick was about three inches soft and, and he could get it to a good five-and-a-half when he masturbated.

Again, perfectly average.

I’m sure he would be considered a catch for someone, but his arrogance would be his downfall with Alex… guaranteed.

I looked up as Alex’s head emerged from the stairwell of the subway.

I pocketed my phone and matched his pace, around 30 feet behind him.

The sidewalks were only a little crowded, it being a weeknight, and I was able to keep a close eye on Alex (and even snap a few new pics with my phone). He didn’t seem in any particular hurry to get to the restaurant, despite him already being a few minutes late.

You’re dead in the water, Ben.

Once Alex was inside and seated across from Ben, I walked up to the hostess stand.

“Good evening.”

I smiled brightly at the young hostess. She smiled back, and her cheeks turned a bit pink. I had that effect on women. Especially girls in their late teens or early 20s. The ladies seemed to love me since I got myself into shape.

“Do you have a reservation?”

she asked.

“Actually, I was just hoping to have a drink at the bar, if that’s all right.”

“Absolutely,”

she said. “Enjoy.”

I thanked her and walked past the host stand.

Alex and Ben were seated towards the center of the restaurant, and I made my way along the edge of the room towards the bar.

My view from here was obstructed, but If I sat at the last stool, I could look over and see the side of Ben’s face.

I couldn't see Alex at all, and I silently cursed myself for not making a reservation like I had been planning to.

But I couldn't be certain where they would have sat either them or me, and I didn’t want to be stuck in Alex’s eyesight. I didn’t want him to see me before we met, and recognize me from somewhere else. Or run into me in multiple places…

it would be suspicious.

“Good evening, monsieur,”

the very French bartender greeted me as I took the seat.

“Good evening. May I see a wine list, please?”

I half-heartedly perused the selection of fine French wines, glancing up sporadically to see Ben’s mouth moving. I couldn’t hear what he was saying, but his jaw hadn’t stopped flapping since I’d walked in the building. I’m sure Alex was having a blast.

When the bartender walked back over, I pointed to something I couldn’t pronounce. He nodded and took my menu. I watched as their waiter approached the table. Once again, Ben was monopolizing the conversation. Eventually, the waiter nodded and walked away without so much as even looking in Alex’s direction.

Had Ben just ordered for him? I couldn’t stop the snort that escaped me. This couldn’t have gone any better.

I thanked the bartender as he set a glass of deep red wine in front of me. I handed him a 50. “Keep the change.”

I knew I wasn’t going to be there very long. I watched Ben continue to talk at Alex for another half hour before I saw Ben stand up from the table. A moment later, Alex came into view past the bar. He was headed for the back of the restaurant.

“Have we had enough, darling?”

I got up from the bar, nodding one last thanks to the tender, and walked towards the back of the restaurant. I turned the corner just as Alex disappeared through the staff entrance from the alleyway, and smiled again. He held out a lot longer than I thought he would, honestly. I walked back through the restaurant, glancing over at Ben one last time as he sat alone waiting for his date to return. He never would. Alex had been so sweet and kind to even put up with that conceited, old-money shit as long as he had. And he even ate some of that disgusting food! My boy was the sweetest person on the planet.

I went out the front door and quickly walked down the block to the side street that intersected the alleyway. Ahead of me, Alex came out of the alley and headed back towards the subway.

“Good boy,”

I murmured approvingly.

On the walk back to the station, I waited as Alex grabbed a slice of pizza to go, and then watched as he boarded the subway. I’d ridden the subway with him before, but it made me nervous to be in an enclosed space like that with him. It was harder for me to stay out of sight.

I hurried back to my car and headed straight for the motel. I wanted to be present when Alex saw his gift.

***

Once Alex had turned his lights out, I headed home. It had been a tiring few days, and I was ready to crash. Alex was running around like crazy getting things in order at Westing House. Over to the east side of the city to pick out flooring for the upstairs. Then, to a vintage lighting store up on Banx to try and match the sconces as closely as possible for the sitting room and the main entrance. After that, back to Lowes for cabinet knobs.

Alex took his position very seriously, and he was doing an incredible job. He definitely had a natural talent for design. I couldn’t wait for the day we got to renovate the cabin I’d purchased up in the Spring Mountains, just an hour outside the city. Ravishing Alex on a big rug in front of a roaring fire as glistening flakes of downy winter snow floated past the windows. Seeing his body splayed out in front of me, his cheeks pink and lips kiss-swollen as the warm light from the flames danced across his skin. The thought was enough to make my mouth water.

I wanted to cherish him. Make him feel good, loved and lusted over. I wanted to completely overwhelm him with pleasure and sensation. I wanted to swallow his moans as I brought him to completion…

I took a deep breath and cracked the car’s window to let in some cold air as I flew down the nearly-deserted highway, trying to bring my thoughts back to the road and off the straining erection trapped beneath my jeans. I couldn’t wait to see Alex naked. The last time I’d seen him naked was two years ago, when he and Tom were skinny-dipping in the river. I wondered how much his body had changed. I knew he’d filled out a little, but you could still see the indents of his lower ribs. He just had a naturally thin stature.

Perfection.

I made it home unscathed, minus the damp spot in my briefs. I hopped in the shower to wash the day away and finish myself off, thinking about tasting Alex’s skin and, finally, his release.

I toweled off. Without bothering to dress, I put the kettle on to heat.

Once the water was hot, I poured a mug and dropped in a sleepy time tea bag. I grabbed my journal and a fountain pen from the kitchen table and headed towards the spare bedroom. I opened the closet door and set my mug down on the top shelf of the closet. Then, I pulled back the piece of drywall I’d installed when I sealed off the third bedroom. I’d always wanted to have a man cave, and, now, I did.

I picked the steaming mug back up and carefully bent down to clear the small entrance. Once inside, I flipped the light switch and inhaled. “It’s good to be home.”

I set my mug down on the small counter I’d installed that ran the length of the room, and put my phone on the dock. I’d taken some new pictures of Alex that I hadn’t printed yet, but I didn’t have the energy to upload them tonight. I looked around the room and smiled. Everywhere I turned, Alex looked right back at me. Pictures of him wallpapered the room. The collection I had amassed over the years was impressive in its entirety.

All the Polaroids were together on the far wall. I’d taken most of those when I first started looking after him. I loved each one of them, but as the years went on, camera technology in phones just exploded, and the 100x zoom on my phone—which made absolutely no noise when it took a picture—just got hard to beat. I could get clear, crisp shots of him from hundreds of feet away.

I walked over to the small chest freezer, and opened the lid to see Barbara’s frozen face staring back up at me from the bottom. Her eyes were still open, and her mouth was stuck open and to the side. I had accidentally broken her jaw while I was separating her head from her body. My bad.

“Good evening, Babs.”

I read somewhere that certain religions believe that the soul can’t move on to the afterlife, or be at peace, until its corporeal body has had a proper funeral and burial. I didn’t pretend to have all the answers about the universe, or what happens when we die, but I liked to keep an open mind. If there was any truth to that at all, I wanted to make sure Barbara Cantrell suffered in purgatory as long as possible. Forever, if I had anything to do with it.

After a second or two, I closed the freezer, not wanting to let all the cold air out, but I continued to talk to her like I always did.

“Alex is doing so well at his new job. He gets a lot of praise from his boss. She’s a smart woman and can recognize talent and greatness. Unlike some of us…”

I sneered towards the freezer.

“And I think even you can appreciate this one,”

I began. “Alex has finally kicked Tom to the curb. He’s refusing to sleep with him anymore because of this whole Jenny fiasco, and he’s ready to date.”

I took a few sips of tea as I took a seat at my desk, and smiled at the large 8x10”

print of Alex that I’d framed. It was summertime, and the air was warm. He was wearing a loose tank top and shorts, and holding a Coca-Cola flavored slushy that he’d grabbed from the 7-Eleven fountain. I’d snapped the pic from across the street as he came out of the store. It was one of my favorites.

“Hello, handsome,” I sighed.

I allowed myself a few moments to just sit and stare at his beautiful face before turning to a clean page in my journal.

My dear, sweet Alex,

Oh, how I long to touch your skin. To brush the pad of my thumb across your cheek and have you lean into my touch. The way you would sigh, and allow all your stress to melt away as I caressed your skin.

How you would look through your long eyelashes as I’d lean down to close the distance between our mouths. When I laid you down beneath me, you’d close your eyes and roll your head back, giving me access to nip at the pulse point in your neck. I dream of your sharp inhale as my teeth scrape against sensitive flesh.

I’d kiss and suck my way across your bare chest and harden your nipples with my mouth as you rutted your swollen cock between us, desperate for friction. I’d work my way further down, spreading your legs and bringing my face to rest beneath them. I’d spread the mounds of your ass further apart until I could slip my tongue inside you. How you would mew and buck as I opened you up.

I’d lick a wet trail from your hole to the back of your balls before sucking them both into my mouth and opening my eyes to watch you come undone as I rolled them around in my mouth. When I thought you’d had enough, I’d let them fall out of my mouth one by one before grabbing your immaculate cock at the root and swallowing down your entire length.

How you’d gasp and thrust up into my mouth as I slipped two wet fingers inside of you. You’d start to pant as I scissored my fingers open, stretching you around them to prepare you for my cock. I’d have your slit oozing pre-cum that I’d lap up with my tongue before pushing the tip of my cock inside of you. You’d whimper as you acclimated to the size, digging your fingernails into my shoulder blades as our two bodies morphed together in ecstasy.

You’d cry out, and I’d cover your mouth with mine so you could taste yourself on my tongue as I bottomed out deep inside of you. I’d tell you how tight you were, and how fucking good you felt wrapped around my dick. As I began to push in and out of you in slow, even thrusts, your cock would leak even more, creating a small puddle that pooled in your belly button. I’d wipe it up with the pads of my fingers and swirl it around your swollen top as you moaned, getting closer and closer.

I’d work you through your orgasm as I filled you with mine, your tight ring pulsing around me like a vise with every spurt of cum you released. I’d slowly pull out of you before licking up your mess, a delicacy too good to waste. I’d curl up behind you and wrap you in my arms as our breathing evened out and we came back down to earth. Then I’d scoop you up and carry you into the bathroom and lower you down into the hot bubble bath I’d already prepared.

Candles all around the tub basin sending forth flickers of warm light illuminating the blush across your chest and cheeks brought on by our shared pleasure. I’d climb into the tub behind you and grab a sponge. I’d take my time gliding the soapy sponge across your skin, as I wrapped my legs around you. I’d pepper your neck and shoulder with kisses and caress your skin until you were about to fall asleep. Then I’d help you out of the tub and get you all dried off and put to bed.

I’d tell you how much I loved you, and thank you for allowing me to worship at your altar as you fell asleep with your head resting on my chest and your arms around my torso.

One day, my love. One day…