Placing Out

by P. J. Brown

  Ben closed his eyes. The guy was right and he knew it. He focused his gaze on Dylan's face, seeing again how unearthly beautiful he was. "Didn't we come here to catch a movie?"

  "Sure did." He threw his door open and climbed out. Ben followed.

  Ben had been to a few movies over the years. He still couldn't get over the opulence of some of the movie palaces. And the Orpheum was right up there. Gilded and primped like a New Orleans madam, everywhere he looked it was gold. Wall sconces threw soft light over the carved wood and gold flock wallpaper and marble columns. Dylan led them to seats in the fourth row. The air filled with the enticing odor of fresh popcorn from the vendor outside. Perfume from the glittering ladies with their tuxedoed escorts. Once he had settled in beside Dylan, he followed Ben's roving gaze.

  "Something, isn't it? You know the history behind it?"

  "Didn't know there was one. They only built it a few years ago. Not much time to grow a history."

  "I mean the name. It's very romantic."

  Ben waited a heartbeat, then sighed. "Okay, enlighten me."

  "Orpheus was the son of Apollo and Calliope. You know who they are, don't you?"

  "Gods? At least Apollo was. So I guess Calliope had to be, too."

  "Right, gods. All of them. Well, Orpheus married Eurydice--guess she was the most beautiful goddess. Some other god wanted her, too, and she got killed. He went all the way to hell to try to get her back. Now I ask you, what kind of guy goes into hell for the person he loves."

  "Not too many."

  "Would you?"

  Ben half turned in the seat to look at him. Things tore through his mind. Parents, family, people he loved. Who had he really loved? Dylan kept looking at him expectantly. "Yes, I think I would."

  Dylan smiled. He handed his bag of popcorn to him. Ben dipped into it, savoring the buttery puffs. Realizing he hadn't brought anything to wipe his hands with, he surreptitiously licked the butter off his fingers. Until Dylan shoved a handkerchief at him.

  "Thanks," he managed around a mouthful of popcorn. The lights dimmed and the newsreel came on. A speech from Hoover telling them everything was good. They were on the road back to recovery and prosperity. Nothing could keep the American spirit down.

  The screen went dark. Ben reached for another handful of popcorn and Dylan grabbed his hand and held it down in his lap. Ben's first response was to jerk away, but he didn't want to make a scene. Instead, he leaned over and hissed in his ear.

  "I thought we came here for the movie. Not hanky-panky."

  Dylan's white grin could be seen in the light from the screen. "Of course. Popcorn?" He held the bag out again. "Maybe we can go out and get some real food after this."

  The movie was as enjoyable as Dylan had claimed. Ben hadn't noticed how good-looking the lead actor, Novarro, was before this. The hot tempered Tony got his girl in the end, of course. The guy could sing, too, as he proved during the interlude. And just like Dylan said, Arledge wasn't hard to look at either.

  When it was finished the two men hung back, waiting for the crowd to clear out. Only when there were a few stragglers left did the two make their way back to the street.

  "So, Coles then?"

  "What?" Ben came out of a gray fog. "Coles?"

  "Real food. Remember?"

  Ben glanced at his watch. "Not sure that's a good idea--"

  "Why not, everybody needs food. When do you work again?"

  For a minute he almost didn't answer Dylan. He knew what would happen if he did. Then he thought about what would happen and he got hard. He remembered Dylan talking about how what they did wasn't wrong.

  "Two days." At the car he stopped before climbing in. He met Dylan's gaze over the roof. "Let's go eat."

  After feasting on beef dip Dylan turned the car toward his place. Ben tensed, then forced himself to relax. He'd wanted this, hadn't he? If he was honest he'd wanted it all along.

  The climb up to the second floor was both the longest and the shortest walk Ben had ever taken. Only when Dylan fumbled with the door key did Ben realize he was just as nervous. He took the keys from the younger man's trembling grip, slotted the key in the lock and pushed the door open. Dylan slipped past him and turned on a light. The room smelled stuffy after the scented air in the theater. Even when Dylan opened the one window nothing but stale city air flowed in.

  Ben stood inside the door while Dylan moved around the room with a grace that was almost ethereal. Ben stopped him on one of his rounds.

  "Why aren't you an actor or a dancer?" He raised his hand and stroked Dylan's cheek. "You're good enough. You have the looks."

  "Not really," he said, smiling and covering Ben's hand with his own. "Hollywood right now wants the Novarros. Or big butch guys like Gary Cooper or John Gilbert. Or you," he whispered.

  Ben drew Dylan into his embrace, hip to hip and chests pressed together. He could hear the hammering of Dylan's heart. Their mouths met and a bolt of raw desire slammed through Ben. One of them groaned. Ben pulled off the other man's suspenders and fumbled with his belt.

  Dylan pushed him away. His eyes were glazed when they met Ben's.

  "Not like this. I want you to make love to me for real."

  * * * *

  Ben stripped me. There was nothing quick about his movements. As each piece of clothing came off, Ben would lick my skin or suck it, sending exquisite pleasure along my already raw nerve endings. About all I could do was hang on.

  By the time he exposed my cock, I don't think I've ever been so hard. I swear the swollen, leaking bulb almost touched my navel. His fingers rarely touched me. But when he abruptly left me and stepped away, I reached for him.

  "Ben," I moaned. "Oh, God, please... "

  "I'm overdressed, don't you think?"

  The fire that was in his eyes probably matched mine. Boldly I stepped up to him and with the same torturous slowness exposed and kissed every inch of bare skin. We were both panting by the time he was naked.

  Kneeling down on one leg on the bed, my mouth was level with his fat, thick cock waving in my face. A single drop of translucent fluid leaked out of the glistening head. I wasn't allowed more than a lick before he gently pushed me down on the bed. He came with me, his arms stiff on either side of my head while he studied my face. When he stooped down to kiss me, I opened my mouth.

  His first touch on my lips was butterfly soft. I might have even dreamed it. A single, deep breath later his tongue was down my throat and his hands held my head in a vise grip. His knee rode up between my legs and pressed on my cock. His dick was trapped between us against my hip.

  I ran the fingers of both hands down his bare back, coming to rest on his tight butt. We rocked together, tongue exploring my mouth, tangling with mine. I couldn't breathe, I don't know if it was me or his weight on top of me. I didn't care.

  When he kneed my legs apart, I reached for the petroleum jelly. He took it and pried it open with his teeth. Then he squeezed some on his left hand. His first finger went up my ass I whined and tried to get it in deeper.

  But he was in charge now and what I wanted was only going to come in his time. He planted his mouth back on mine and stopped my moans. Drawing his finger out of my ass, he wrapped a fist around my swollen prick. His greased hand slipped up and down, but before I could come he left my cock and this time shoved two fingers into me. He rolled off, fingers still inside.

  Now I was able to reach between us and capture him. I stroked him as best I could, using his own pre-cum to slick him up. I wanted him inside me. I stroked faster, humping my hips up to get him in deeper.

  Finally, when I was on the verge of screaming, he withdrew his fingers from me and pulled my legs open, then slid between them. His cock nudged at my ass, slipping inside inch by exquisite inch. It took forever, but at last his dick was buried in me to the hilt.

  We both stopped moving. Ben rose back up on his elbows and stared down at me. "You're something, aren't you?"

  "For you, yes."

  As thou
gh no longer able to look at me, he buried his face against my throat. His lips and teeth played with the skin there. He nipped and rocked his hips, slowly at first, building tempo until we were slamming together, mindless in our lust.

  I panted, trying to wrap my legs around his shoulders. He grunted and drove himself into me one more time, filling me with cum at the same time I exploded. He collapsed on top of me and I welcomed him into my arms.

  We lay together, ignoring the sticky mess between us. I didn't mind. Looping one leg around his, I stroked his damp back. "Can you stay awhile?"

  He hesitated and I held my breath. I thought for sure he was going to say no, but after a few seconds of strained silence he nodded.

  We dozed after that, only to awaken in the early hours of the next day and make love again. It was my dream come true. A man who had no one to go home to.

  We both woke up a couple of hours later. I gave him my shaving gear and he showered first, and while he dressed I did the same. Back in my room I could see he was getting restless. He didn't want to stay here, but I also knew he wouldn't want to walk around downtown Los Angeles together and we certainly couldn't go to any of the speakeasies.

  Before his caged tiger act got to the point he charged out the door and I'd never see him again, I thought fast.

  "You're off today, right? That's what you said last night."

  He stopped pacing and faced me. His eyes raked over me and I shivered under the intensity. He didn't look angry. He looked expectant.

  "Let's take my car out. We can drive up the coast."

  "Go to the beach?"

  "Not the beach? I keep hearing Santa Barbara's beautiful." I sat on my unmade bed and he came over to stand in front of me. I looked up at him. "Have you ever been?"

  "No."

  "Then let's go. It's a beautiful day."

  "How can you tell?" Ben glanced at the closed curtains that only let in shallow streamers of light. I grinned and shrugged, a lot more interested in what he decided.

  I could see him thinking. The fact that he was willing to do that made me hopeful. When he sat beside me a second later, I smiled again.

  "Yes?"

  "Sure. I've always wanted to see Santa Barbara. I've heard it's been rebuilt since the quake."

  I stood. "Earthquake? There was an earthquake? When?"

  "Few years ago. You weren't around, I guess. It was a pretty big one."

  "They ever have them here?" Earthquake? I had no idea what something like that would be like.

  "Sure." He stood. "We've had some shakes here. It's like something big stomps on the ground. Things shake a little bit. No big deal."

  "Oh, good." I took his arm. "If we do, you can protect me, right?"

  Ben laughed, something I'd never heard before. I loved the sound of it. "I don't think anyone can do that."

  "Oh, well, I still feel safer."

  He slung his arm around me and kissed the top of my head. "Let's go grab some breakfast."

  After breakfast in the drug store we climbed into my jalopy. It rattled and shook but the old girl did what she always does and fired up. It backfired a couple of times and I grinned over at Ben, who hung on to the open window as though he thought the flivver might disintegrate under him.

  "She's temperamental."

  "I can tell. So what do you call her?"

  "Call her?"

  "You seem like the kind of guy who gives his things names."

  I opened my mouth to protest, then shook my head and laughed. "Greta."

  "As in Garbo? I'm sure she'd be impressed."

  Heat flooded my face and from the look of amusement on Ben's face I was blushing.

  "Come on," he said. "Let's see if Greta can get us where we want to go."

  * * * *

  Santa Barbara, March 10, 1933

  Santa Barbara was as pretty as the travel posters said it was. I was glad Ben agreed to come with me. I glanced over at him while I drove. Greta handled easy once she got on the road. She was just cranky in the morning, like I got sometimes after a too late night or a too rough client.

  The sky was so blue it almost hurt to look at it. A light breeze wafted the scent of jasmine and orange blossoms into the car. Under it was the scent of the nearby ocean. Seagulls flew over the road and when I pulled into a parking lot off a beach, they were on the beach and in the waves along with some long-legged birds that danced over the wet sand, weaving in and out of the bigger, slower moving gulls.

  Out on the water boats of all colors and sizes moved gracefully over the waves.

  I sat in the car, entranced. "Beautiful."

  Ben came to stand beside me. "Since neither one of us came dressed for the beach, I say we go some place where we're not going to stand out like pigs at a wedding."

  "Like where?"

  "We're here to sightsee, right? So let's go see some sights."

  We toured all of old town. There were buildings under repair, the odd empty lot I figured must have had a structure on it at one time. Ben nodded when I mentioned that.

  "Lot of places here were built from wood. It didn't hold up. This time around it's being done right. Stone and adobe."

  We ended our tour at the mission, spectacular in the setting sun. The white walls blushed pink, deepening to red in the growing shadows. Breezes whispered through the palms and ornamental plants. Birds had gathered to nest for the night and the air was alive with their songs.

  "Was the mission damaged in the earthquake?" I asked.

  "A few columns fell. No one was hurt," Ben said. "They repaired it pretty fast."

  Wandering through the gardens, nodding at the men and women we passed, and the black frocked priests we were in no hurry. A fountain spilled water into a stone lined pool. The air smelled like nothing I had ever experienced. It reminded me there were other places in the world besides smoke filled bars and strange hotel rooms and the aroused men that went with them. A clean world. I reached out and trailed my hand through the cool water. Mist washed over my upturned face.

  I glanced over at Ben. He was looking toward the chapel where two priests were talking. I took the chance to study him when he wasn't aware of me. He had a strong face, but it wasn't cruel like some men's were. His nose had a slight bump like it had been broken at one time. The dark hair I loved running my fingers through when he sucked me had a curl to it. The few times he smiled I saw a small gap between his teeth.

  I wished he would smile more.

  I shook the water off my hand and met his gaze. His dark eyes were alive with something that sent a bolt straight into my groin.

  "I'm hungry. You?"

  I realized I was. "Eat here, in town?"

  "No reason to rush." Ben smiled. "Right?"

  Since I would have followed him anywhere for that smile, it was easy to nod.

  By the time we got a table at a seafood restaurant near the ocean it was dark. We watched the lighted freighters on their way toward the Port of Los Angeles, the even more distant lights of a gambling ship out past the three mile limit and Coast Guard ships on the lookout for bootleggers. The gentle sound of surf was only occasionally drowned out by a distant ship's horn or a burst of music or laughter from a cantina down the beach.

  I had a beautiful piece of sole. Ben had chowder and oysters and bread he used to sop up the butter sauce.

  "Sounds like someone's having fun." I took a sip of mineral water. "Maybe we can take a walk later and see what's up."

  "It's getting late. We should head back."

  I took a deep breath. I'd thought about this for the last hour and wanted to wait for the right moment to say it, but I guess that moment was now.

  "Let's stay the night."

  He froze. His dark eyes bore into mine. There was no anger in them, but there was wariness.

  "We can do it. Take two rooms." I knew I had to convince him fast. "Who's going to know or care what room we're in or who sleeps where as long as the bill's paid."

  "I don't know." Ben looked around the
patio as though he thought someone might be eavesdropping. When he saw no one was even on the patio he turned back to me. "I'm not sure I have enough money for a room. I wasn't planning on even leaving town--"

  "That's okay. I've got more than enough. Let me do this. Don't you think it would be really nice to be away from everything we know? In a place no one knows us?"

  I could see the idea appealed to him. He rubbed his chin and looked out toward the dark water.

  "I can't be late getting back tomorrow," he said, and I knew I had won.

  "That's okay. I'll make sure we get back to L.A. before noon." The waiter came out and I signaled him over. "The bill, please and do you know the name of a nice hotel nearby. My business partner and I have decided it's too late to drive to San Francisco tonight."

  "Of course, sir. Right away." The guy practically bowed. I guess he took us for a couple of swells. "If I might suggest, sir, the Upham is a wonderful hotel that I'm sure would meet all your business needs."

  After he gave me directions to the hotel, which was only about ten minutes away, I paid and we made our way back to my flivver. Old Greta fired up on the first crank. She must be feeling frisky tonight. I know I was.

  "San Francisco?" he asked.

  "No reason to let them connect us to L.A., is there? We leave in the morning and as far as he's concerned we're on the road north."

  He raised one eyebrow. "You'd think you did this sort of thing often."

  "Not really."

  I could tell he didn't believe me, but he let it slide. I forced myself to be patient while we checked in to two adjoining rooms--explaining that we might have business to discuss--and were taken to the third floor, which the desk manager assured us was almost deserted and we would not be disturbed. I left a wakeup call for seven and Ben and I entered our rooms with a firm goodbye and a tip to the porter.

  Waiting for the half hour Ben had insisted on was nerve wracking. I wished I had thought to bring a flask with me. A drink would have gone down just fine right now. There was a knock at the door not ten minutes after I had let myself in.