Page 49 of Highway To Destiny

Sharing a room made it easy for one of us to shave while the other showered. I’d just gotten under the cascading water when I felt Connor’s arms slip around me. He washed my back and spent ample time between my ass cheeks, probing my hole with soapy fingers. We ended up giving each other mutual blowjobs, but I found the tile floor wreaked havoc on my older knees. It was worth it, though, as I swallowed his load under the hot water spray.

As the weeks passed, we weaved through the southwest states, battling relentless summer heat. There were times I got concerned for Connor when we were outside for a long time. He came from the cooler climate of the northwest and hadn’t experienced the desert temperatures during the summer. I made him drink water to stay hydrated. At least he listened, and I noticed he had a water bottle most of the time. It was early August as we headed north through California. I thought it might be a good idea to head through Crescent City to check on my condo and for Connor to meet Eli.

Connor had amassed quite a bit of information for his research paper,The Power of Freight Shipping and Handling Through the Western United States,during our weeks on the road. It was his working title, a long one, but it still impressed me. He also befriended my freight broker, Jim, and chatted about his job. Once Jim found out Connor would be referencing and crediting him in his paper’s bibliography, he became an open book and shared some of his trade secrets.

We arrived in Crescent City and planned to stay for three or four days. We probably only had one long trip planned before I needed to take him back to the university.

The thought of our summer ending put a pit in my stomach, but the anticipation of him standing with me in my condo, looking out over the Pacific Ocean, had me smiling to myself, and my sad thoughts drifted away. Connor could meet my best friend and some of the locals and take in our scenic coastline. After eleven years, I wouldn’t be alone on the trip home, and I needed to share part of my other life with him.

The rig was parked in Eli’s lot, and the rideshare driver had just dropped us off in front of my condo building. We each held a duffle bag with necessities for three days. Connor didn’t say a word when he peeked at the view around the side of the building. It was partly cloudy but warm, and the sun’s rays through the broken clouds in the west produced a heavenly glow. It was why I loved my place.

“I can see you like the view,” I said with a smirk. “Wait until you see it from my living room…and my bedroom.” I had to throw in that last part.

Connor didn’t speak until I opened my door to reveal the floor-to-ceiling windows. He dropped his duffle and quickly toed off his shoes to run through the living room and take in the dramatic view. He stood in wonder as I walked up next to him. My heart leaped, seeing the look on his face.

All at once, Connor wrapped his arms around my waist without taking his eyes from the crashing waves below. “This…this is unbelievable,” he said. “Wait, you also mentioned your bedroom.” He released his hold on me and looked around haphazardly. He saw the hallway to our right and bolted to find my bedroom. All I heard was ‘Holy fuck!’ and figured he’d found it.

I laughed and shook my head. I made my way to the bedroom, and Connor was up against the panes of glass on the other side of the bed. I cleared my throat when I entered.

“You wake up to this every morning?” he asked in amazement.

“Well, not every morning, but when I’m here, yes,” I replied, walking up next to him.

His eyes never left the view. “This is incredible. I mean, I’m from Portland, and I’ve seen the ocean before, but not like this. I miss the water.”

We stood there watching the sun drop to the horizon, which gave off hues of gold and red, almost like fire. It was my turn, and as I wrapped my arm around his waist, he leaned into me.

He looked over his shoulder to the bedroom and asked, “Which side of the bed do you sleep on because I wanna see this view of the water every morning? I claim dibs on this side.”

I snickered. “I sleep closer to the bathroom, so you may stake your claim to this side.” He dropped his head on my shoulder just as the sun sank out of sight.

I released my hold and started to walk out of the bedroom. “Are you hungry?” I asked.

“Yes, but I don’t want to leave here tonight. We’ve been in the truck all day, and I wanna spend time alone with you here in your space. It’s cozier. Can we order in…maybe something light?”

My original plan was to head into town so he could meet Eli, but his idea was better. I wanted him to enjoy my home, and meeting Eli could wait. “Sure,” I said. “We haveDoorDash,so it’s easy to have it delivered.” He smiled and turned back to the ocean view. It was like watching a child stare at an immense aquarium tank. I left him there as I dialed my phone.

I hadn’t had a guest in a very long time. There was an occasional night with certain ladies a few years after Claudia died, but they were simply filler to help me forget my emptiness and loss. It felt completely different having Connor here. It felt right.

After we showered and unpacked our duffels, we decided to have a late-night dinner of pasta salad with a small charcuterie tray made by my favorite Italian restaurant in town. They delivered it quickly, and I paired it with a crisp Pinot Grigio. As we ate, I asked Connor if he’d texted or chatted with Spencer at all.

“Oh, I guess I didn’t tell you,” Connor said as he wiped his mouth. “You know he and hisboyfriend, Evan, are from Boise, and they went back together. Evan still hasn’t come out to his family, but Spencer has been welcomed into their clan with open arms. Evan’s mother loves him.”

When I thought of Spencer’s personality, I couldn’t imagine anyone not liking him, and it made me chuckle.

Connor continued. “Evan’s family throws a big Fourth of July family event every year and made sure the guys would be there. Because of the family’s demand, they had to cancel their camping trip. Spence felt it might help Evan come out easier if they got to know him better. He said that during the fireworks, they’d linked pinkies in the dark. But one of Evan’s younger sisters noticed and confronted them later, privately.”

That got my curiosity. I looked at Connor wide-eyed. “And?” I asked, wanting him to continue.

“She said she wouldn’t say anything, but if they were more than just friends, she urged Evan to come out to the family about it. He said she’d always been suspicious about her older brother but was very supportive.”

“Well, I hope it works out okay for them.” I nodded and understood Evan’s apprehension. I was in a similar situation, but so far, I’d been supported by everyone who knew about Connor and me. It seemed that change was affecting everyone during the summer.

After dinner, Connor wanted to smell the ocean air, sit outside with his glass of wine, and listen to the crashing waves. My condo had a small deck to one side that housed two chairs and a cocktail table. It was a night we could relax and enjoy one another. I took in his silhouette from the light in the living room and stared as the ocean breeze lightly teased his highlights. He closed his eyes, and my heart swelled. I was falling for him.

He remained seated, with his eyes closed, as I got up and stood behind him. I knelt, wrapped my arms around his shoulders, and kissed the back of his neck. He cooed. “I like you here,” I whispered as I brought my mouth to his ear.

“I love your place,” he said as he took hold of my arms. “It’s so peaceful.” We looked out over the blackness of the ocean at the distant lights from two passing ships.

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