Tempting the Neighborhood

Men of Rugged Heights, Volume 7

Jaylen Florian

Published by Jaylen Florian, 2019.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

TEMPTING THE NEIGHBORHOOD

First edition. October 10, 2019.

Copyright © 2019 Jaylen Florian.

Written by Jaylen Florian.

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Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Books by Jaylen Florian

Description

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Author's Note

Books by Jaylen Florian

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ANTONIO'S MASK

Arousing Euphoria: Rugby Team Bundle

Baseball Star's Gift

Cobra De Capello

Covet

Daring the Neighborhood

Garage

Ghost Town

Guarding His Fortunes

Guarding His Jewels

Hollywood Tease

Lured

Macho

Patrolling the Neighborhood

Prowling the Neighborhood

Scorching the Neighborhood

Thirst

Uncovering Machismo

Untame

Uplifting Sports Romance: College Gay Bundle

Welcoming the Neighborhood

#

Description

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IT WAS ONLY SUPPOSED to happen once...

The rumor going around the neighborhood is that a certain brawny handyman fixes more than just leaky pipes and broken windows.

Close friends Eddie and Hercules, attractive twenty-somethings on the prowl for some fun, flirt with the idea of requesting a special house call.  Neither had dreamed of hiring someone for a good time, but curiosity gets the best of Eddie.  He decides to give the handyman a shot, just once, to see what all the fuss is really about.

Read today to find out if Eddie gets more than he bargained for with the fixer.  He may be surprised to discover the arrangement leads to a better fit than he ever imagined.

#

Chapter 1

It was definitely one of those nights. 

Eddie was all but clawing the walls.  Hormones on fire, he might've even considered opening the window of his casita—the one that faced Valance Street—and yelled for a confident guy to please dash over and give him the pounding he needed, just to get him through the night.

These evenings weren't that uncommon and had an all-too-familiar pattern.  The itch would set Eddie ablaze and his sole focus would become sufficiently putting out the flames.

Tonight, the two gay dating and hookup apps he used to meet guys were sluggish and dreary.  No new faces.  No excitement.  It was midweek, a Tuesday, but still, he wondered, didn't everyone else have their occasional fiery moments of insatiability, too—and not just on weekends?

Eddie knew from the apps that his close friend Hercules was also prowling online.  He messaged him.  "I'm striking out.  How about you?"

"No luck here, either," Hercules replied, adding a bomb emoji to the end of his message.

"Doesn't anyone else wanna get laid?  Half the guys on tonight are only trolling for nude pictures.  The other half just want to banter about with clever wit.  Ugh!"

"I know you hate bars, Eddie.  But we'd probably have a better chance at Bronco's or Revolver."  These were the two local gay establishments most frequented by guys under thirty.

"Downtown sucks.  I detest trying to park there at night.  I'd rather stay in Rugged Heights."  Eddie and Hercules lived in the tony neighborhood of Rugged Heights, a lush residential and business community on the rolling hills just north of the Bluestone River.

"Hey, beggars can't be choosers!"  Hercules underlined his message, put it in bold font, and added a series of additional exclamation marks.

"You always say that.  Get a new motto."

"Sometimes you have to leave your comfort zone.  It's not like you can just go to one of your hot next door neighbors, ring his doorbell, and get action on the spot."

"Our neighbors are all married," Eddie agreed.  "Damn them for not being available for us when we really need them."

"LOL."  After a pause, Hercules sent another reply.  "I have an idea for you.  It's crazy, but if you need it terribly bad tonight, a solution may be at hand."

"What is it?"

"Naw, I'll tell you in person.  I'll be there in five or ten minutes."

Hercules arrived at Eddie's casita in skinny sweat pants, a fitted polo shirt, and boat shoes a quarter of an hour later.  Like Eddie, he was twenty-six, slender, and a few inches under six feet in height.  But in contrast to Eddie's tan skin and dark features, Hercules had blue eyes, pink undertones to his light skin, and beard stubble that had been growing in redder and darker than the light blond hair he wore parted on the side of his head.

Eddie and Hercules were not just friends and neighbors.  They were peers at the same advertising firm headquartered in Rugged Heights, though Eddie designed ads while Hercules sold promotional campaigns.  They had hooked up once, early in their friendship, after a company holiday party, but it had been a lackluster experience.  They each preferred being on bottom and thought the other was going to be the one to give service.  Though not a good fit as lovers, they had a very easy rapport and often went to movies or restaurants together.

"I see you're dressed for success," Hercules quipped, noticing Eddie had on an athletic shirt, sneakers, and bike shorts so skintight they left nothing to the imagination. 

"Come hell or high water, I'm getting pounded tonight," Eddie said, handing him a whiskey and coke on the rocks.  They sat down on the couch and Eddie lowered the volume of the music cable channel playing adult alternative hits on his television.

"What's gotten into you?"

"I don't know.  Maybe the moon is aligned just right or something.  But I'm not joking around.  Even if I have to get a cheap encounter at a truck stop, or down at the loading docks, I'm going for it."  Eddie was referring to a truck stop a few miles east of town, as well as the equally notorious docks on the south side of Bluestone River where ships loaded and unloaded cargo throughout the night.  Eddie hadn't visited either place before, but he and Hercules occasionally bandied about the idea of checking them out someday.

Hercules said, "If your mind is made up, then you don't need my scheme."

Eddie gulped down half of his drink and then set his glass down on a coaster atop his small coffee table.  "Those are just my last resort options.  My mind is open.  Whatcha got?"

"If the rumors are true, this guy will blow your mind.  And you might be walking funny for a day or two."

"Hello!"

"He does all the work," Hercules added.

"I'm foaming at the mouth," Eddie joked, without smiling.  "You've had him before?"

"Not yet."

"What's the catch?"

"Two things.  First, have you ever been with a dude over thirty?"

"I don't think so.  But if he's hot, I'm game."

"Total stud, yes, but he's at least forty."

"What's the second catch?" Eddie asked.

"He's not free."

"A gigolo?  You can't be serious!"

"Not exactly, but similar to that."

"Hercules, we're both in the prime of our lives.  Your big idea is that I'm gonna pay someone for sex?"

"Don't think of it that way."

Eddie tapped his fingers on his thighs and frowned.  "Okay, how exactly should I think of it?"

Hercules grinned.  "He's a real handyman.  If there's any time left when you're done banging, he can make some repairs around here."

#

Chapter 2

Eddie waved away the whole idea of hiring the handyman.  But after he refilled their glasses with more whiskey and coke, he peppered Hercules with more questions. 

"And how's this not illegal?" Eddie asked.

"He actually fixes things that are broken.  This kind of fun is just something—extra."

"The handyman part isn't just a masquerade?"

Hercules pulled his phone from his pocket, went online and pulled up a bare-bones web site offering home repairs and installation services.  He handed his phone to Eddie, who murmured "Angus" as he read the handyman's name at the top of the screen.  A modest portrait picture in the left column featured a man smiling with good cheer and wearing a frayed utility vest.  He had a well-groomed handlebar mustache, a regal and prominent nose, friendly eyes, and salt and pepper sideburns emerging below a tweed flat cap.

"He's like a cross between a lumberjack and Sherlock Holmes," Eddie said, giggling at the mashup, thinking it was a very apt description of the middle-aged man on the screen.

"Sure, I get that," Hercules said.  "The question is, does he appeal to you?"

"It's hard to tell just from this.  But I think he might be the guy who fixed the Woolsey's fence last summer."  Eddie rented the casita from a married couple, with the surname Woolsey, who lived in the large home on the property.  Eddie's casita had its own private entrance and he might run into the Woolsey's once a week or so near the driveway, though usually less often than that.

"You're staring at his picture pretty hard, Eddie."

"His site is awful!  Whoever designed it was probably colorblind and slapped it together in under an hour.  Horrible navigation, too."

"Then I take it you're having a negative reaction and hate my idea?"

"Well, not so fast," Eddie said.  "I remember the guy who fixed the gate as being quite hunky, especially for his age.  I never got his name.  But the more I look at this Angus's smile, the more I think it's the same man."

Hercules got his phone back.  Both he and Eddie searched the internet on their own phones for additional pictures of Angus, but couldn't find anything, not even social media accounts.  Finally, Hercules put his phone away while Eddie returned to Angus's handyman web site and gazed for another long moment at the smiling portrait.

"You're intrigued, aren't you?" Hercules asked.

"Probably not," Eddie answered.  "But tell me how this works.  Tell me everything you know."

Hercules began by cautioning Eddie that his information was "pretty reliable" but admitted it was secondhand and based on discreet gossip.  He relayed that Angus was also a resident of Rugged Heights, a divorcee, who led a quiet life and enjoyed the occasional classic car show and spent Saturday nights at a nearby pub.  Angus had apparently been doing handyman work for many years, only recently expanding his repertoire to include bedroom dalliances.

"Why's he doing this?" Eddie asked.  "For the money or the thrills?"

"You'll have to ask him yourself," Hercules answered.

"There's no button or menu option on his site indicating sexual encounters are an option.  How does this get arranged?"

"Use the "emergency services" option, at least that's what I was told."

Eddie clicked the link.  "That's seventy-five bucks an hour, with a two hour minimum!"

"It's out of my price range, but you can probably afford it," Hercules said.

"And we're absolutely certain Angus is a dominant top?"

"That's the word on the streets, so to speak.  He's straight or bi curious—pay to play, you know—and does all the work for you." 

Eddie turned off his phone.  "This is berserk!  I can't believe we're even talking about this."

Hercules finished his drink and took his glass to Eddie's kitchen and set it in the sink.  "You're sure you don't wanna go downtown to a bar?"

"No thanks."

"If you're not coming with me, I'd rather stay home tonight, too, to tell you the truth.  I guess I'll head out.  Thanks for the drinks."

Eddie smirked, and said, "I bet I see you on the apps again tonight."

"Naw, I'm just gonna jerk off to some porn and go to bed early."

"All right, see you in the morning at the office."

After Hercules left, Eddie rinsed out their glasses and loaded them in the dishwasher.  He signed onto the apps, explored the listed profiles for a minute or two, then clicked them off.  He brushed his teeth and completed some rounds of pushups and sit-ups in his living room while flipping through his television channels, unable to find anything worth watching.

Eddie shut off the set with his remote control and pulled Angus's web site back up on his phone.  Without any further thought he clicked the button requesting emergency services and typed in his name, address, and credit card number. 

"Just this once," Eddie said to himself, before hitting the confirmation link to charge his card. "Let's see what the fuss is all about."

#

Chapter 3

Eddie, his nose pressed against his front window facing Valance Street, watched a pickup truck ease beside the curb.  When the headlights extinguished and the motor turned off, he stepped out onto the walkway and waved.  He couldn't risk the handyman mistakenly going to the main house and startling the Woolsey's.

Angus sauntered toward his door in a white t-shirt, faded jeans, and work boots, while also wearing the same tweed flat cap he had on in his web site portrait.  By the time Angus stepped into the glow of the light on the front porch and Eddie said hello, Eddie was certain Angus was the same man who had fixed the Woolsey's fence the past summer.

"Good evening," Angus said, tipping his cap rather than offering a hand shake.

"Please come on in."

Eddie closed the front door behind Angus and stole some glances to size him up.  Angus was taller than he'd remembered or expected, easily over six feet.  His broad shoulders added to his sturdy and hearty countenance.  Angus pinched the curled tip of his mustache with his thumb and forefinger, slid his other hand in his pocket, and slightly tilted his head while evaluating the casita.

"Eddie, is it?"

"Yes."

"Please call me Angus.  So, what's broke?"

The greeting had happened so quickly that Eddie was unprepared for the direct question.  He hadn't thought of any cover story.  His expectation was that Angus would enter his casita and take charge.  Now, however, he was on the spot. 

"You see, I'm not sure," Eddie said, fumbling, his face beginning to redden.  "Strange noises, that's all, and I didn't know what to do.  Are your tools in your truck?"

"They're in my truck," Angus confirmed.  "But I have a feeling I don't really need my toolbox, for this job.  Am I correct?"

Eddie nodded and retreated toward his kitchen.  Angus accepted his offer for a whiskey and coke. 

"Please have a seat and make yourself comfortable," Eddie said.  "I'll be right with you."

Angus took a position in the middle of the couch, leaned back and raised his arms on both sides of the couch, and spread his knees wide apart.  Angus's casual gestures gave Eddie a surge, swelling the lump under his bike shorts while he strolled toward the couch with the drinks and handed the larger one to Angus.  Eddie sat down beside him, brushing against Angus's knee and fingers as he turned halfway toward his guest.  They clinked glasses.

"This is my third one tonight," Eddie said.

"This won't work out if you hired me drunk," Angus said.  His baritone voice was firm, yet it had a soothing quality.

"I'm not impaired.  I knew exactly what I was doing when I hired you."

"Good.  I appreciate us cutting through the weeds and speaking to each other quite directly."

"How do we begin?" Eddie asked.

"Let's start with the reason for the summons.  Tell me what's broke around here."

"Nothing, everything's working fine."

"Tell me what you want, Eddie."

"Frankly, I'd love to get nailed, to the moon and back."

Angus lifted his brows, but revealed no other indication that Eddie's words shocked or surprised him.  "It's been awhile, huh?"

"Not really, no," Eddie admitted.  "I got some action last weekend, on Saturday, with an out-of-towner I met online, but it was mostly a bust."

Angus put his hand on Eddie's shoulder.  His palm was warm and comforting.  "Before we begin, I should ask you if you have a question for me," Angus said.  "I don't like being bombarded with questions.  It's a waste of our time.  But I'll grant you one question, or we can just get this going.  I trust you understand this all happens my way."

"Your picture online doesn't do you justice.  You're more handsome in person."

"I get that a lot, but it's still nice to hear.  Thank you."

"You didn't get a chance to see what I looked like before you drove here," Eddie said.  "So, my one question is, what would you've done if you got here and didn't want to have sex with me?"

"I'd have refunded your money."  Angus shrugged, then squeezed Eddie's shoulder.  "But that's definitely not the situation we're in right now."

Eddie kicked off his sneakers, pulled his athletic shirt off, and tossed it haphazardly against the wall. 

Angus's eyes drifted down to the erection straining Eddie's bike shorts.  "Dim the lights," Angus said.

Eddie stood, turned his back to Angus, bent over and switched off the table lamp next to the couch.  The only illumination came from the overhead light in the adjacent kitchen.  Eddie looked back over his shoulder to ensure Angus was checking out his shapely rump.

"Hold that pose," Angus said, "but peel off the shorts."

Eddie liked the directives.  He obeyed again, moving nice and slow, and watched Angus nod his head in admiration of the full moon shot.

"Mmm," Angus grumbled.  "Legs wider apart.  Arch your back.  Yeah, that's it.  Don't say a word, just let your body do the talking."

Eddie backed up, maneuvering closer to Angus, who began undressing while riveted to Eddie's slow motion swaying.  Eddie's eyes danced over Angus's hairy chest and muscular arms.  Angus stood up and dropped his jeans to his ankles, revealing a long phallus, slim and uncircumcised, the crown beginning to poke out from the sheath.  Dangling behind it was a hairy scrotum, hanging low, one testicle descending below the other.

When Eddie bumped backwards, against Angus's engorging prick, Angus took his ass in both hands.  Eddie cooed as the large fingers explored and probed the outer edges of his hole. 

"Grab your ankles for me," Angus said, while sliding a packet of condoms and a travel-size bottle of lube from a pocket in his jeans, which were now rumpled at his feet on the carpet.

Eddie beamed a smile and exhaled as Angus's wet finger glided inside.  His muscles began to relax, taking Angus to his knuckle, then eventually permitted entry to a second finger.  Eddie leaned back, ready for more.  Angus removed his fingers, paused a beat, then gently teased the tip of his erection around the opening before plunging in.

Eddie gasped, caught his breath, and chuckled.  "You feel freakin' amazing," Eddie moaned.  "Can we please make this last?"

Angus leaned down over his back, tugged a fistful of Eddie's hair, and spoke quietly into his ear.  "Don't you worry, we're just getting started."

Eddie instantly knew he was in expert hands.  Angus's thrusts were unpredictable, never falling into a rhythm for long, and Eddie's body couldn't anticipate what to expect next.  Tender movements were interrupted with deep, ramming motions, then unexpected twists, both while pressing in and pulling out.

They changed configurations beside the couch four times, effortlessly transitioning from prone positions to straddling.  Throughout, Angus's low-hanging balls often loudly slapped against Eddie's butt cheeks, while Eddie remained rock hard without ever once touching himself. 

Once, when Eddie guessed that they'd been at it at least an hour, he thought Angus was preparing for the final stretch.  Instead, Angus slipped out, took Eddie by the arm, and led him around the wall of the casita to the bed.  They started fresh with some new contortions, including the one Eddie liked best, which was being cradled up in Angus's arms while his legs were splayed around his standing hips.  Finally, Angus brought Eddie to climax in the missionary position, face to face, Angus's handlebar mustache nuzzling into Eddie's neck while the thrusts escalated into a frenzy.  Angus muffled Eddie's pleasure yelps by firmly covering his mouth with his large hand.  When Eddie's spasms ended, Angus backed out of him, pulled off the condom, and rocketed his load onto the layers of seed already on Eddie's belly. 

Eddie rubbed their blended essence across his skin, letting it begin to dry and crust on his stomach and chest.  "Angus, I won't ask where you learned to do all that.  But you could be a porn star, no doubt about it."

Angus winked.  "No, I'm just a handyman."

"Um, more like a superstar," Eddie said.  "A true swordsman.  I'm not sure I've ever had anything quite like this, and I've been at it—hot and heavy with guys—since I was about twenty."

"Glad your satisfied, Eddie."

"Before I did this tonight, I promised myself it would be only a one-time thing.  A new experience, never to be repeated.  Honestly, I'm kinda regretting I made that pledge."

Angus tousled Eddie's hair, smiled, and said, "Don't regret anything.  But, indeed, it's a one-time thing.  I never service customers, like this, more than once."

"Why only once?"

"Repeat visits would change it—and make it into something else.  I'm not not about being for hire, strictly speaking, but about aiming to please.  I may not be able to articulate it to you, but I'm at peace with my choices, Eddie.  My ground rules, which I've set for myself, keep my boundaries intact enough that I can offer my services on occasion and not lose track of who I am and what's important to me." 

#

Chapter 4

Eddie and Hercules ordered quesadillas and street tacos from a food truck that served lunch plates every day in Branden Business Park, on the outskirts of Rugged Heights.  They chose a shaded picnic table in the diamond-shaped central plaza that was surrounded by three story office complexes containing their advertising firm and a dozen other companies.  It was a balmy day, especially for mid October, and both men had left their suit jackets back in their offices.  Hercules rolled up his sleeves to protect his dress shirt from food stains, while Eddie, more worried about his tie, flipped it around his neck so that it hung over his upper back.

"What's that sly look on your face all about?" Hercules asked, as he spread guacamole over toasted tortillas with a plastic knife.

"I did it," Eddie answered, grinning while he chewed.

"Did what?"

"The handyman."

Hercules's eyes widened.  "No, you didn't!"

"After you left last night, I didn't give it much thought.  Suddenly my phone was in my hand, his web site was right there on my screen, and it just happened."

Hercules, not amused, offered only a deadpan expression.

"You have no reaction?" Eddie asked.  "I thought you'd want to hear about it."

"Maybe I don't want to know about it," Hercules said, "at least not right now."

Eddie set down his plastic utensils and pushed his plate to his side.  "Help me understand what's going on, Hercules.  You recommended the guy to me!  It was your idea."

"I thought it was something we could do together."

"A three way?"

"Yeah, why not?"

"But you never said that last night."

Hercules crinkled one brow and lowered his voice.  "I didn't think I'd have to say it.  I thought it was understood."

"An adventure we'd do together, huh?"

Hercules nodded and looked down at his plate.  Several minutes of silence passed as they resumed eating and finished their meal.

"Please tell me how you imagined it would've worked, with three of us in my casita," Eddie said, using a gentler tone of voice after noticing dark pink color was flushing his friend's forehead and cheeks. 

"What do you mean?  You want a play by play?"

"No, just generally speaking, would Angus have done us one at a time, or would we all be entwined at once?"

"The latter, probably, but I might've been open to it either way."

Eddie leaned forward.  "See, what I never knew, until just now, is that you had any interest in crossing the line—the big friendship-only line—with me again."

"I guess I didn't know there was a line," Hercules replied, pushing his light blond hair away from his forehead.

"Well, we didn't talk about it, explicitly, but my understanding is that it was inferred.  We tried being together that one time, after the holiday party, and neither of us got much out of it, Hercules.  We're both bottoms, without exception.  We'd never be enough for one another."

Hercules rolled down his sleeves and stood up.  "I've gotta dash back to the office now."

"Please stay.  I don't want you to leave here upset."

"No, Eddie, I'll catch ya later."

Eddie watched Hercules walk away and considered chasing him out of the plaza, but he didn't want to make a scene.  Dumbfounded by the whole unexpected exchange, he stared up into the swaying tree branches above him and his mind wandered back to Hercules's arrival at his casita the night before. 

Visualizing the detailed memories from a fresh perspective, Eddie realized his mistake.  He typed and sent a text to Hercules—"I'm really sorry"—then inhaled a deep breath and brushed the crumbs from his lap before rising to head back to his office. 

#

Chapter 5

Eddie continuously checked his phone for messages and emails, but received no response from Hercules.  He thought there was a good chance he'd run into him at the gym after dinner—Hercules often exercised on one of the gym's stationary bikes on Wednesday nights—but he didn't show up.

After drying off in the locker room after showering, Eddie wondered if he should call Hercules during his walk home, or even just stop by his apartment.  But he decided giving Hercules space was the most respectful thing he could do at the moment, so he left him alone.

Eddie was still grappling with learning that he and Hercules had differing notions about their relationship.  Eddie had assumed they were friends only, good friends for sure, and the possibility they would ever be more than friends had vanished on that rather dreadful night they'd had together after the holiday party.  Hercules, apparently, had more fluid lines, at least with this particular friendship, and Eddie recounted whether he had somehow been sending mixed signals.  For example, it was true he'd said to Hercules, on multiple occasions, that he'd be the perfect boyfriend, if only he was an alpha top.

Eddie remembered these careless words, nonchalantly spoken but capable of callous interpretations, and shook his head in dismay at his own ignorance.  The last person he ever wanted to hurt was Hercules.  He adored him and treasured their camaraderie.

Could they ever have pulled off a romantic relationship, Eddie wondered.  How?  What could they've done about their sexual incompatibility?

No, Eddie decided, this was impossible, and he didn't need to beat himself up anymore about it.  He'd give Hercules time, he'd apologize to him again, and their friendship could resume and grow stronger.  Yes, that's what he wanted.  There was no way he'd casually lose his highly valued relationship with Hercules.

Eddie arrived back at his casita a few minutes after ten o'clock.  He didn't feel like reading, watching television, or playing video games.  He checked the apps, but only for mere seconds to see if Hercules had left him a message there, then signed off and prepared an herbal chamomile tea to help him get a solid night's sleep.

#

Chapter 6

By three in the afternoon the following day, Eddie couldn't stand the silence from his friend any longer.  They never a went full day without at least messaging each other a few times. 

Eddie took the elevator down to the coffee shop on the ground floor of the office building and bought Hercules a chocolate chip frappe, his favorite.  But when he arrived at Hercules's office all he found was an empty chair.  Hercules's assistant confirmed Hercules was out of the building for the remainder of the afternoon for sales meetings.

Further down in the dumps as the day wore on, Eddie treated himself to a black olive pizza for dinner and indulged in watching one of the tawdry reality shows he usually despised.  Neither activity lifted his spirits, not even to a slight degree.  Figuring that sexual release would do him some good, Eddie signed on to the apps and spent almost an hour trying to cook something up, but none of the guys online really appealed much to him, and he kept checking to see if Hercules was roaming on there, too. 

Eddie turned off his phone and plugged it in for recharging, but he wasn't ready to give up on the night.  He needed a sure thing.  An orgasm that would vanish all of his melancholy in one swoop.  He grabbed for his phone, went to Angus's web site, pushed the emergency button, and typed in his credit card number.

While Eddie dimmed the lights, as he remembered Angus liked, he received an email alert.  The credit charge had not gone through.  The message read, "Order cancelled by seller," and his money had been refunded.

"What a punch in the gut," Eddie said aloud to himself.  He remembered that both he and Angus had assured one another they'd never hook up again, but the rejection was still bitter.  "Denied, even when I was willing to pay for it."

Eddie popped a DVD in his player and took off all of his clothes, except for the black socks he had worn to work.  He liked to keep his feet covered and cozy at night.  The movie was cheap, littered with bad acting and poor lighting, but it was one of his favorites.  The premise was an uptight and preppy guy had to have his car hauled to an auto garage in a small town when his engine conked out while passing through on a rural highway.  The mechanics demanded payment that didn't include any money, of course, and proceeded to defile the guy before agreeing to fix his car. 

Eddie was shocked to realize, for the first time, that the blond star of the show bore a reasonable resemblance to Hercules. 

Thinking he heard footsteps outside his casita, Eddie clicked the mute button on his remote control.  There was the sound again, this time on his porch.  Eddie leapt from his couch and peeked through the peep hole on his front door.  Though his porch light was out, he recognized the silhouette, which included a flat cap and a handlebar mustache.

Eddie opened his door, but stood behind it to hide his nudity.  Angus was leaning against the doorframe with both arms spread, his biceps bulging out of his short sleeve t-shirt.  He had on steel toe work boots and saggy jeans that had once been indigo blue.

They stared at each other for a few seconds in the dark.  The flickering illumination from the television set bounced off of Eddie's bare skin and lean physique as he stepped forward and revealed himself.  He gently put his hand around one of Angus's wrists and pulled him inside.

Eddie moved in front of the couch, where they had first made sexual contact forty-eight hours earlier, but Angus instead stood in front of the large screen and pulled off his shirt.  His soapy clean and masculine scent excited Eddie as he ran his fingers through Angus's chest hair.  Eddie crouched down, unbuttoned and unzipped Angus's jeans, then pulled the denim to his knees.  Not wearing any underwear, Angus sprung out toward his face, already at half mast.

Eddie reached for his remote control to flip off the television set, but Angus took it from his hand.

"No, I like to watch."

#

Chapter 7

The feverish rapture ended eighty minutes later, with Eddie's head hanging off the edge of his bed, his face drenched and glazed with Angus's gravy and scent.

Unable to open his eyes without stinging sensations, Eddie asked for a cloth.  Angus snatched a hand towel from the bathroom, returned to the bed, and soaked up his semen.

"I feel like I've been in a hurricane," Eddie said, chuckling and daring to peer out of his squinted eyes. 

"You took it like a champ," Angus confirmed, "just like before."

"I think we must've doubled the number of positions tonight, somehow."

Eddie threw on a robe and Angus went to the living room to put on his clothes.  Eddie didn't want him to leave right away.  He asked Angus to stay and have a beer with him.  Angus hesitated a beat, then accepted the offer and relaxed on the couch.  He was still barefoot, but had put on his cap, jeans, and t-shirt.  Eddie took a seat beside him and handed him a bottle.  Angus stretched his leg upward, onto Eddie's lap, and Eddie massaged his wide foot with kneading finger motions.

"Even your feet are butch and burly, Angus."

"You like that, do you?"

"Of course, I do.  I'm attracted to masculinity."

Angus swigged his beer, and said, "Did I get too rough for you?"

"Almost."

"We weren't supposed to do this again, Eddie."

"Why did you refund my money?"

"The first time was a job.  Tonight, our second time, was not a job."

Eddie wiggled his fingers between Angus's toes.  "Can I ask something?  How often are you with men, when you're not for hire?"

"Rarely," Angus answered.  "It happened for the first time earlier this year, with one of our neighbors, who I will not identify."

"His name wouldn't be Hercules, would it?"

"No."

"That first experience with a guy unleashed pent-up lust?"

Angus laughed.  "Don't get too carried away.  Let's just say I came to appreciate the simplicity of an honest physical encounter with another red-blooded man who needed to nut, just like I did."

"Your still prefer women?"

"Just as you were born to be your way, I was born to be my way."

"You're a terrific man, Angus."

Angus nodded.  "How did you come about finding me on Tuesday?"

"My close friend, Hercules, heard rumors about you."

"What did he hear?"

"That you're a neighborhood stud, a dominant top, and you'd do all the servicing."

Angus smiled, but shook his head.  "You young guys nowadays, with so much animosity towards work.  Everyone expecting to get serviced.  But, you know, I take it back.  I also needed an adjustment to my mindset not so long ago.  An entitlement attitude had crept in to me and I made serious, life-altering mistakes.  So, I don't look down on you.  Learning and adjusting is part of becoming wiser and more mature."

"What kind of mistake did you make?"

"I lost my wife," Angus said, taking a deep breath.  "The person I love most in this whole wild world divorced me and I let her go without putting up much of a fight."

"You could have saved your marriage?"

"We'll never know, but a voice in my head says yes, I sure could've done better.  Do you want to know how, Eddie?  It's about finding common ground.  Sometimes there might not be much common ground to find, but you still have to try.  It's a mistake to assume efforts aren't worth being made when you care so much for someone."

Eddie let the words seep in.  They each drank the rest of their beer in silence.  Eddie's hands were now massaging Angus's heel and ankle, pressing into the fleshy zones behind the bones.

"I haven't had a foot massage in ages," Angus said.  "As much as I want to stay longer and enjoy it, I think it's time to go and let you hit the hay."

"Do you have to time to share a bit more wisdom?"

"Okay, what's on your mind?"

"I am very close to Hercules, the guy I mentioned who told me about you," Eddie said.  "I recently learned he has feelings for me, even though I assumed he and I could only be friends.  Months ago we tried hooking up and it was a dud.  I care for him a great deal, but Hercules and I are both on the submissive side.  Complete bottoms.  We're just not sexually compatible, though apart from that, I have to admit Hercules is just about perfect in my eyes."

Angus pulled his foot off of Eddie's lap.  "How hard did you try to find some common ground in the bedroom?"

"Like I said, we hooked up that once.  But there was nothing to build on."

"So you never tried?"

"Wait, I don't know if that's fair.  Square peg, round hole—that kind of thing.  It just wasn't a match."

Angus began putting on his socks and boots.  "Only you can answer for yourself, Eddie.  If it were me, and I considered someone perfect, I'd put serious effort into it before calling it quits."

Eddie disclosed more details about the Tuesday night misunderstanding and mentioned that Hercules's original idea was that Angus would drill them both, in a three way.

"Earlier tonight, before we got going, you said you like to watch," Eddie said.

"I'm as much a voyeur as the next guy," Angus admitted.

"If you and I ever fool around again . . ."

"I don't think that's a good idea.  Tonight wasn't even supposed to happen."

"But, just play along for a second, please.  If we ever could do it once more, and Hercules was here with us, would you consider taking us both on?"

"Hmm," Angus grunted, then stared at the ceiling corner and came up with an idea.  "No promises."

"But what?"

"If I watched the two of you messing around, and it got me burning pretty good, then I might consider letting nature take its course."

#

Chapter 8

Hercules, sporting a brand new pinstripe suit, was waiting outside of Eddie's office the following morning.  They gave each other a tight embrace and Hercules handed Eddie a paper bag as they stepped inside the office and closed the door.

"You don't know how happy I am to see you," Eddie said.

"I had to disappear for a day or so," Hercules said, "and get my head on right, but I'm back."

"What's in this bag?"

"Your lunch.  Hummus and pita bread, plus a falafel salad.  It's fresh, just zap it in the microwave and warm it up."

"Can we eat together?"

"I have a lunch meeting, but I'm free tonight.  How about the movie theater with reclining seats or heading downtown to a nightclub?"

"Awesome," Eddie answered.  "We can set aside some time to chat tonight, too, and air everything out."

Hercules shook his head, and said, "Naw, let's just have fun."

"You sure?"

"One hundred percent certain."  Hercules locked eyes with Eddie, and added, "Just imagine how painful it would be to care the world about a guy and then hear him insist that you could never be enough for him."

Stunned, Eddie was speechless as Hercules left the room and closed the door behind him.

––––––––

THAT NIGHT, HERCULES wedged behind a truck along the curb on Valance Street, in front of the Woolsey house and Eddie's casita.  He and Eddie had been communicating through text messages and their only plan was to meet up at eight o'clock and then figure out exactly how to spend their evening together from there.  In stylish slacks and a designer button down shirt, Hercules was prepared for any of their usual Friday night destinations.

Hercules rang the bell and Eddie opened his front door in ripped jeans and a muscle shirt.

"We're heading to a dive, huh?" Hercules asked.  "The rough side of town?  You should've told me so I didn't overdress."

Eddie cracked the door wider.  Hercules saw Angus sitting on the couch and immediately recognized his signature flat cap and handlebar mustache from the web site portrait.  He stepped inside Eddie's casita and Angus rose to his feet so they could firmly shake hands. 

Seeing the confusion on his friend's face, Eddie acknowledged to Hercules, "You must feel like you've just flown into a spider's nest."  They shared smiles and Angus's demeanor also suggested a jovial mood.

"I'm not trapped, exactly," Hercules said, "but I'm super curious what the two of you have brewed up tonight."

"A simple experiment," Angus said, before sitting down again on the couch, right in the middle, so there was just enough room for Eddie and Hercules on either side of him.

"So we're not going to the movies or the clubs?" Hercules asked.

"Maybe later, if you want," Eddie answered.  "First, though, I want the chance to roll back the clock.  I need a mulligan for Tuesday night.  A do over."

Hercules flushed bright pink as Eddie made three glasses of whiskey and coke in the adjacent kitchen.  Hercules told Eddie and Angus he was embarrassed that they considered him so needy.  Angus assured him they'd formed no such judgment and that they were all on equal footing in terms of being unsure how experiencing a "trio"—a three way—would play out.

For the first twenty minutes, the three men just sat together and got comfortable, making small talk unrelated to sex.  Hercules frequently glanced at Eddie, trying to get a better read on the situation, and found that Eddie was staring at him with a look he hadn't noticed before.  Was it worry, Hercules wondered, or fascination, or something else?

Angus made the first move.  Supremely confident in his plan, he swaggered to the bathroom and flipped on the light.  Eddie and Hercules followed him there and Angus lifted his arms, inviting them to undress him.  Eddie moved behind him and Hercules faced Angus's front.  Once they had Angus fully nude, Hercules got on his knees and teased him to full stiffness with swirling motions of his tongue around his crown and foreskin.  Careful not to interfere with the blowjob, Eddie maneuvered behind Hercules and undressed him, too, folding his removed clothing into a stack on the bathroom counter.

Hercules closed his eyes as Eddie nuzzled his neck and pressed his body against his back.  Angus stepped back and stroked himself while he watched Eddie tenderly rub Hercules and tweak his nipples. 

Eddie turned on his shower, set it on hot, and adjusted the overhead gage so that the water mimicked misty rain with fine, string-like jets that immediately began creating a fog.  Hercules joined him in the shower and took his turn exploring Eddie's body with his hands.  Their rigidity pressed together, the slipping and sliding making them both ever harder, and they kept the shower curtain pulled back so Angus could continue watching them.

Eddie grazed his wet lips over Hercules's chin stubble, then held Hercules's face with both hands as he moved in to kiss him.  It was their first ever kiss—they hadn't tried anything but penetration during the prior encounter—and their lips danced together with ease.  Hercules wrapped his arms around Eddie's back and shoulders, never wanting it to end.  Eddie was equally passionate and broke the embrace only once, to tell Hercules he couldn't believe they hadn't made out sooner.

Their kiss had such magic that they eventually forgot about their erections, the shower, and the time.  At some point, neither was sure when, Angus had left.  It was just the two of them—Eddie and Hercules—and they remained embraced until the hot water ran out, then they traipsed their wet, nude bodies through the casita, onto Eddie's bed, and began kissing and entwining their bodies again.

#

Chapter 9

Eight Days Later

Ready to unwind and begin his Saturday night ritual, Angus parked behind the gas station at the southwest corner of Marigold Parkway and Horizon Ridge Drive, not far from the river, and made his way to the little pub tucked in a corner strip lot between a nail salon and a pool supply company.

As always, Sigaro, a bar that had once been a cigar lounge, bustled with a local clientele from the Rugged Heights neighborhood.  Dark, unadorned, and without the slightest pretense that it was anything but a friendly watering hole for adults who liked good whiskey and bourbon, Sigaro was Angus's ideal place to spend a few hours to close out his work week.

There was an empty barstool near the corner of the L-shaped bar top.  As he slid onto the seat he recognized Eddie positioned catty corner to him.  Eddie was nursing an amber lager from a mug.

"Well, what a surprise tonight," Angus said, slapping him on the back.

Eddie smiled, and said, "Ah, there you are!"

"Your first time here?"

"Yeah, I've been hanging out for almost an hour, waiting for you."

The bartender put a bourbon with a splash of water on a napkin in front of Angus and they nodded at one another.  Angus turned back to Eddie and lifted his glass.  "Cheers, my friend."

After they sipped their drinks, Eddie said, "I can't stay, but I have something for you."  Eddie pulled his phone from his pocket, turned it on, and handed it to Angus, who scanned up and down the page on the screen.

"You designed a new web site for me!" Angus said.  "It's brilliant.  Really sharp!"

"The navigation, now, is a cinch.  And I've better highlighted your specializations and reviews."

"When can I start using it?"

"Tomorrow morning.  I'll email you instructions."

"Fantastic," Angus said, briefly squeezing Eddie on the shoulder.  "Are you charging me anything for it?"

"Nope, not a dime," Eddie answered.  "It's a gift."

"Then I take it things with Hercules are going well."

"Incredibly well."  Eddie grinned.  "No matter what happens with him and me, as friends or lovers, I'll always be grateful to you for helping me see the bigger picture."

"I'm happy for both of you guys."

Eddie thanked him for the good wishes and finished his last swig of ale.  "Even though I won't be pressing that button for emergencies on your site—unless I have a real emergency in the casita—I trust we can be friends."

"Absolutely."  Angus signaled the bartender for another drink.  "Don't be a stranger."

Eddie and Angus shook hands. 

"You'll see me again," Eddie said, standing to leave.  "I'll pop in here, a few times a year on Saturday nights, and buy you a whiskey, and maybe hit you up for some more words of wisdom from time to time."

#

Author's Note

Thank you for reading "Scorching the Neighborhood."  If you enjoyed it please leave a review and consider my other books.

This is the seventh story in the Men of Rugged Heights series, featuring a range of recurring characters exploring and developing their intimacy and sexuality.  Additional books in the series include the following:

Serving the Neighborhood.  Mike, the good-looking straight guy next door, does not expect to have his desires challenged.  A successful business owner, but lonely and widowed at thirty, Mike occupies his time playing sports, drinking bourbon, reading spy novels, and watching classic movies.  Colton, a mysterious stranger, is capturing the sexual fascination of Mike's friends.  New to the suburban neighborhood, Colton is taking a break from modeling and tempting other men with exploits, no strings attached.  On the prowl, Colton makes it clear his sights are targeted on Mike.  When Mike discovers the opportunity to test his boundaries, how far will he yield to another man's touch?

Patrolling the Neighborhood.  Vance, a confident young police officer, naturally commands respect.  He is comfortable being in control of all aspects of his life.  But Vance's love life has suffered from repeated crash endings.  He now challenges himself to explore new impulses, including his sometimes intense attractions to other virile men. 

Daring the Neighborhood.  Neighborhood men getting together for a game of night basketball expect just another friendly competition.  Nude modeling is the furthest thing from their minds.  But amidst all of the bravado and trash talking, one player proposes raising the stakes.  His dare is simple.  The winning team splits a cooler full of beer, while the losing teammates pose in the buff for his "Masculinity and Tenderness" fine art painting series.

Prowling the Neighborhood.  A mystery man is anonymously hooking up with the neighborhood's hot new security guard while he's on duty.  Vance, a young cop, is lured by a friend to help discover the secret man's identity.  But all the spying, prowling, and hiding could lead to trouble.  Or it could lead to a unique opportunity for Vance to further explore his own avid desires.

Welcoming the Neighborhood.  Who will be the last hunk to leave the housewarming party?  Darryl, enjoying success in his career, just purchased a magnificent home in Rugged Heights. But he's new to town and eager for companionship.  Darryl has casually begun playing night basketball with some guys in his neighborhood. He is captivated by these stunning men and desperately wants to get to know them better.  Acting on a tip from a lonely hearts article on a gay web site, Darryl decides to host a housewarming party and invite his neighbors. Though worried no one will show up, he's advised to stay positive and take particular note of the last guy to leave his party.  That's the one, as the adage goes, who holds the promise to a new beginning.

Scorching the Neighborhood.  Who's writing and posting the uninhibited thirst letters about the fire captain?  Julian, the captain, is only days away from the auction block.  He's agreed to headline a bachelor auction to raise money for charity at the annual Rugged Heights neighborhood fundraiser.  Consumed by his prestigious firefighting leadership position, Julian is oblivious that anyone passionately yearns for him until the first note—a secret crush letter—is anonymously posted on a park clubhouse bulletin board.  Shocked by the public expressions of frenzied infatuation, he digs deeper.  Is this a joke?  An old flame making a new play for him?  Or is it just someone's clever attempt to intensify a bidding war for him at the charity benefit? 

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Best wishes, and I appreciate your support,

Jay