Rentboy (4 page)

“Shut up!” Fox said into his ear. “The bobbies check these alleys, you know.”

“Oh God, I’m sorryyyyy!” Cum spilled out of his willy and over Fox’s hand. He slammed his head backward against the wall so hard he nearly passed out. Panting like a dog in the sun, he collapsed forward into Fox’s arms. “Thank you,” he whispered into the young man’s ear. “I didn’t bring any more cash.”

“I’ll take a credit card,” Fox said calmly, rubbing his hands on his black jeans. “Do you want to get something to eat?”

Surprised at the suggestion, Edward nodded as he fastened his trousers. “Yes, great. I’m starving.”

From his cardboard box, Fox grabbed his backpack. “Let’s go.”

Under the streetlight on Tisbury Court Edward looked shyly at Fox. This was stupid. It felt like a real date rather than a fumble in a back alley with a rentboy. “Do you want a kebab?”

“I’m a vegan.”

“Of course. You said that last night.”

“Come on. We’ll go to the Tofu Factory.”

“Won’t it be closed?” Fox laughed and stuffed his hands into his pockets as he walked on. Several inches shorter than Edward and very thin, Fox had a casual, leggy walk that Edward found himself admiring and trying to emulate. He shoved his hands down into the pockets of his cords, letting his hips swing slightly. By the time they came to a stop outside the Tofu Factory, he thought he had it mastered. “Oh, I see. It’s the name of a restaurant. And it’s vegan.”

Fox pulled the door open, and they wandered inside to the smell of odd Eastern spices and strange-looking food behind a glass counter. Hands still casually in his pockets, he followed Fox to a table and then tried to pull his hands out. The night was humid, and the walk had taken twenty minutes. Between the excitement of being with Fox and the warmth of the evening, his palms had sweated to the point where they seemed to have adhered to the insides of his pockets. He couldn’t get his hands out!

Watching as Fox angled his skinny body onto the wooden seat, Edward stood helplessly, trying to pull his hands free without seeming to. If he could just sit down, he might manage it surreptitiously under the table, but the chair was tucked in, so he could do nothing but stand looking at it.

“What’s up?” Curiosity making his black-rimmed eyes squint, Fox looked up at him.

Why did he always have to be a complete bloody berk? A total and utterly pathetic Billy No Mates. A poor, sad git. “My hands are stuck in my pockets. They get really sweaty when I’m nervous.”

Fox sank his head onto his chest. He was obviously embarrassed by being seen with an idiotic boffin who could not get his hands out of his pockets. He’d probably leap up and make his getaway any second, leaving Edward standing helpless, unable even to open the door to leave. He felt the heat rising up his face from his neck and suffusing his cheeks.

Fox’s shoulders shook with mirth. “Come here.” He grabbed Edward’s arms and began to pull, laughing hysterically as he did so. Several other patrons turned their way, looking on in disapproval.

“Would you mind?” A heavyset man in a white apron came over to them. “This is a family restaurant.”

“His hands are stuck in his pockets,” Fox said loudly. “Don’t just stand there. Help us.”

By the time Fox and the burly chef had freed his hands, Edward’s cheeks burned scarlet, and everyone was staring at them. It was like one of his bad dreams where he found himself wandering through Trafalgar Square naked. “Now sit down and behave yourselves,” the apron man commanded, clearly displeased with them.

Fox kept bursting into fresh giggles while they read the menu and ordered a Thai rice bowl each with curried tofu and a glass of papaya juice.

What on earth had become of Edward’s quiet, respectable life in the last twenty-four hours? He’d had sex with a prostitute, not once but twice—one time in a filthy back alley. He’d made himself ridiculous every time he attempted to look cool. The young man in front of him, whose blue eyes were a magnet for his, obviously considered him a semiretarded nerd of the worst kind. The excitement that had surged within him when Fox had said
come here
and then proceeded to wank him off was a thing he had never before experienced. Now all he wanted was to get away from him with the last shreds of his dignity intact.

A shadow fell over them when the big man brought their order. Fearfully Edward looked up, surprised to see the man’s face soften into a semblance of a smile. “Enjoy that, boys. You make a nice couple,” he said kindly.

“We’re not a couple. He’s a prostitute.” The words tumbled from Edward’s tongue before he could stop them.

The kind eyes narrowed into an angry glare before being cast up to the ceiling. “Just eat up and get the fuck out of here.” Edward dropped his chin onto his chest. Why couldn’t he keep his mouth shut?

“Thanks for telling everyone I’m an arse for rent.” Fox picked up his fork and took a large bite.

“I don’t know why I said that. I’m so sorry. A thing comes into my head, and it comes out of my mouth before I know it. I can’t help myself.” Meeting his eyes, Fox took a long slurp of his papaya juice but did not respond.

Edward looked at his food, unable to manage a bite. When he was upset, his appetite was always the first thing to go. He took his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out a credit card. “Let me pay you for the—you know.” He proffered the card.

Fox stared at it for a moment. “Are you taking the piss?”

“No.”

Spluttering food from his mouth, Fox laughed again. “You’re not, are you?” For a moment Edward was stunned. What the hell had he done now? He looked at the credit card in his hand. Suddenly the sheer stupidity of trying to pay a prostitute with a credit card struck him, and he too began to laugh. He had never laughed like this in his life. When his papaya juice went flying off the table, the apron man came running out from behind the counter. “Get out, both of you. Now!”

For a moment Edward sat terrified, not knowing what to do. How utterly humiliating to be thrown out of a restaurant! Fox grabbed his hand and dragged him from the place, running hell-for-leather down the street, screaming with laughter. Adrenaline rushed through his muscles. The only other time he had been this excited was when he was first written up in the science journals.

“Fuck, Eddie, you’re so weird,” Fox said when they came to a halt.

“I know. I can’t help it. I don’t suppose you want to come home with me again?”

“Yeah, I’d love to.”

“I didn’t think you would, but I thought I’d ask… What?”

“I said I’d love to.”

A smaller adrenaline surge washed through his belly when Fox took his hand as they walked along the quiet streets to Bloomsbury. By the time they got there he had settled down a bit, but he felt extremely self-conscious holding another man’s hand in public. What if he bumped into Dr. Howard or one of his lab assistants? Then he’d have some explaining to do.
This is Fox, he’s a prostitute, and we’re going to my flat for sex for which I’ll pay him.
He could just hear himself coming out with it.

Upstairs the heat hit them when Edward opened the door to his flat. He flipped on the lamp and threw his keys on the desk. “Do you mind if I take a shower to cool off? It’s like an oven in here on hot nights.”

“Go for it.” Fox threw himself down on the couch and put his black-booted feet up on the coffee table. Watching him for a moment, Edward marveled at him. Everything Fox did was so cool and confident. How could he live on the street with no family and still be so full of himself. Fox looked at him. “What?”

Edward shrugged, unable to answer. In the minuscule bathroom he threw his clothes on the floor and got into the shower. He had always been embarrassed by his thinness, and God only knew what Fox thought of the size of his nose. If the old adage was true that you could judge the size of a man’s willy by the size of his nose, then people must assume Edward was extremely well-endowed. He grabbed the soap and began to scrub himself.

When he felt a hand on his arse, he screamed and turned round, plastering himself against the wall. Panicked at being seen naked under the bright, shadeless bathroom light, he wrapped his arms around his narrow chest.

Laughter erupted from Fox, who stood naked, as pale and thin as Edward, but not in the least self-conscious. A couple of tattoos adorned his upper arms. But it was the inside of Fox’s right forearm, covered with numerous fresh cuts, that drew his eyes. Looking more closely, he saw scars, some faint, some still pink but healed on Fox’s other arm and his chest.

The young man stepped inside the confined space and closed the plastic shower door. Last night they had been in the dark when they were naked. Seeing him now, Fox would probably have done a three-sixty at the sight of him if he weren’t paying.

Between his forefinger and thumb, Fox held up a small, square foil packet. He tore it open with his teeth, removed the condom, and tossed the foil onto the tiles, where it washed against the drain hole.

“That might cause a blockage,” Edward said, knowing he sounded stupid but wanting to distract himself. His willy stuck straight out, and when Fox grabbed it, he cried out and came instantly. Panting, he looked down at himself. “I’m such an idiot. Sorry.”

“Calm down. You’re cock’s still hard.” Though he could hardly bear the touch of Fox’s nimble hands on his sensitive penis, Edward watched while the young man rolled the condom onto it. Looking directly into Edward’s eyes, Fox said, “Fuck me,” and turned to face the wall.

It was the sexiest thing that had ever happened to him. He stared at the small, round buttocks and slender thighs of the young man and down at his own jutting willy. With water rushing over their bodies, he pressed his belly against Fox’s back, unsure what to do next.

With both hands braced against the tiled wall, Fox glanced over his shoulder. The black makeup around his eyes streamed down his cheeks as the warm water rained on his face. For a moment he looked quite scary. “Fuck me.”

“I’ve never done this before.” Edward’s voice sounded strange and breathy. “What do I do?”

Fox reached behind himself and spread his buttocks wide apart, then pressed his forehead against the wall. “Hit the bull’s-eye.”

With his fingertips, Edward gingerly felt between Fox’s buttocks, locating the anus and then he guided the tip of his penis to the spot. “If I push right in, it will hurt?”

“It might hurt a bit. Do it anyway,” Fox said on a long breath. “Do it, for fuck’s sake!”

With one hard thrust of his hips, Edward pushed inside. The tightness of the fit was stunningly arousing, shooting bolts of pleasure through his willy and lower belly. For a moment he had to stop to gather himself. If he came too quickly, he would deny Fox the pleasure the young man wanted, and even though the situation was hardly one of lovers making each other happy, he had a strong desire to ensure Fox got what he wanted too.

With both hands, he grasped Fox about the waist and began to thrust. Fox tipped his head back and moaned out loud. The long, loud cries both aroused Edward further and yet distracted him from coming too quickly. Alert to every sound and movement Fox made, he thrust hard, finding he could hold back his own pleasure as he watched for signs that the young man was about to orgasm.

At last Fox went completely rigid, every muscle in his body tensed. The cry that tore from his throat cracked through the tiny room louder than the rushing of the water. His reaction instantly brought on Edward’s orgasm. It spread through his body like a wildfire, making him gasp.

Still impaling Fox, Edward wrapped his arms tightly around him. It was the most incredible, wonderful feeling—an intimacy he had never experienced and was loath to let go of. Fox remained pressed against the shower wall unmoving while Edward clung to his back. “Stay there for a while,” Fox whispered.

Acting on impulse, Edward kissed Fox’s ears and the back of his neck. He rubbed his cheek against Fox’s cheek. Slowly, after several minutes, he allowed his limp willy to slide out. The condom fell off, joining the foil packet resting in the drain. Fox turned in his arms and pulled him into a tight embrace. For a long time they stood holding each other as the water gushed over their bodies.

“I wish you were my boyfriend, Fox.” The words were out before he could stop them, and he didn’t want to. He wanted to be honest and open. He didn’t know how to be any other way.

Without moving, Fox said, “Yeah, well, I’m not. I’m a whore.”

“Do you cut yourself?” Edward asked quietly.

“Don’t be stupid. I had an accident.” Fox stopped speaking abruptly. He squeezed Edward’s waist tighter still, resting his cheek on Edward’s shoulder.

“There are old scars all over your arms and chest,” Edward persisted, unsure if it was a good idea to push it.

“It’s called scarification. It’s an art form,” Fox said.

“Fox, there’s nothing artistic about those slashes.”

Very softly, Fox said, “Yeah, I cut myself. Does it make you feel better to know?”

“Yes, it does. I want you to be truthful with me. But why?” Many a time Edward had felt fearful, especially when beginning a new venture. Occasionally he had been depressed when everyone around him seemed to have a partner but him. But why would anyone feel so awful that they would cut their own flesh?

“I don’t know,” Fox said.

“I can hardly hear you, Fox.”

Still holding Edward’s waist tightly, Fox stepped back. “I said, I don’t know.” He smiled. “Let’s not talk about it. Let’s go into the bedroom and have another fuck.”

Easily distracted from the confusing subject, Edward smiled back. “I love your eyes. They’re so blue, but with your makeup running you look like one of those animals I’ve seen on the telly. They have them in America.”

A cute little chuckle escaped Fox, and his eyes crinkled. “A raccoon?”

“Yes, that’s right, a raccoon.”

Fox splashed water into his eyes and rubbed away the remaining makeup. “There, that’s me, natural.”

“I like it,” Edward said. “I like you both ways. With and without the makeup.” With one finger he tapped the end of Fox’s straight little nose. “I like your little nose too. Mine’s like a hawk.”