I don't know what caused me to ride out to Angel Mountain that day. It was hot... about 105° in the shade, except that there was no shade. My canteen was almost empty. I had drunk too much water on the way out, so now I was paying the price and needed to be careful with the water I had left. It was a good two hours back to the ranch.

A feeling had just hit me that morning. You know that feeling you get when you know something's not quite right and you need to be somewhere because you're going to be needed there? I had worked around cattle all my life, way too many years as far as I was concerned, and I just had some sort of instinct. Well, anyway, that's what Mr. Wells called it. He said that it was some sort of strange power I had, kind of like a medicine man or something and that it was a shame that my gift only worked on cattle, because I could have made a lot of money with it if it had worked on people. But my luck had always been like that. I had a way with cows and horses and absolutely no way with people at all...especially the ladies. I could clear a room full of women faster than a coyote could clear a hen house. Even whores avoided me. It was a curse...and all the other hands laughed about it. Even my best friend Gus noticed. He had talked to me about it just this morning.

"Eddie, what you expect's the matter with you? Even Two Tooth Trudy avoids you like the plague, and she's the ugliest girl at Edna's. You smell or something?"

"I don't know, Gus, you tell me."

"Shit, I been workin' around cows so long I wouldn't know if a guy smelled if my nose was glued to his armpit. You could smell like three day old skunk and I wouldn't know it. You're kinda ugly, but not really much uglier than anybody else. You're tall and thin. Shit, you even got hair. I tell ya, Eddie, I just don't understand it. After me and Bernice got finished last night I just asked her. 'Bernice, what the hell do you think is wrong with Eddie that no one wants to fuck him?' And she said, 'I don't know, Gus, there's just something about him. I just can't put my finger on it.' And I said, 'It ain't your finger he wants you to put on it, Bernice. Would you try sometime just for me?' And she said she would, so tonight just might be your lucky night, unless, of course Bernice changes her mind.

Gus meant well, but I wasn't crazy about riding into town so Bernice could "put her finger on it", especially if there was a chance that she might change her mind. I did have some pride left even if I had been horny for about ten years. I had had girls before...not too many, but some, and I had liked it all right. Nothing too thrilling, but it felt good enough I guess. I liked my hand just as well though, and I had saved me enough money by using it to have put away a sizeable nest egg in Mr. Wells' safe. In about a year I'd have enough to go back to Ohio and visit my family. I might just stay there...buy a farm or something. It was sure pretty there. Gus had said, "Shit, Eddie, you ain't never gonna be able to stay put on no damn farm." But I thought I could. It sure would beat the desert at110 in the shade.

I was almost to Angel Mountain. We called it that because right at the top there was a rock that looked like an angel kneeling with her wings spread way out. It was kind of spooky really, especially at dusk with the sun behind it. It made her look like she had a halo or like God was spreading the sun rays out all around her. But now, in the middle of the afternoon, I had to believe that that angel was sweatin' to death just like I was. I could almost see the sweat pourin' off her forehead. I was nuts to be out here in this heat. Oh, well, I was almost there. That cow would be grateful enough and maybe Mr. Wells would be too, and give me a little bonus. Cows didn't come cheap, you know. I hoped she wasn't hurt too bad...maybe just lost and hot.

As I rounded the back side of the mountain, I got my lasso ready to slip it around her neck and lead her back to the ranch. Nothing there. That was strange. My feelings were almost never wrong. Maybe around to the south side. She had to be there. And then I saw it. It looked like a body all crumpled up in the rocks up ahead. Could that be it? Could that be what my feelings were about? Nah. My feelings had never been about humans before. It must be just an old blanket or something. That cow still had to be around here somewhere.

As I got closer, where I could see it better, I could see that it really was a person, a man, and it looked like dried blood on his shirt. Shit. He was probably dead and I'd have to strap him to the back of my horse and take him back to the ranch with me. I'd have to mess with him and the cow. It was 110 for god's sake. All three of us would end up dead. I decided that, if he was dead, I'd just leave his body where it was and pretend that I hadn't seen him. The coyotes would take care of the body and no one would know any better. I had to check though. You couldn't just leave a man out here if he wasn't dead.

His body was face down and the back of his shirt was brown with the dried blood on it. The blood stain went about half way down his right side. I got off Ginger and put my ear down on his back. Shit. He was alive. I could leave a body in the desert for the coyotes without a second thought, but not someone who was breathing, no matter how bad off he might be. He seemed to be out of it. I'd have to find some shade if either one of us was gonna survive the rest of the day, but where? The angel! It was my only chance. She could save us. The mountain wasn't a real high one, and, if I tied him to Ginger and I went on foot beside them, we could make it pretty easily.

I turned him over to see what I was dealing with. I didn't recognize him, but it could have been my mother and I wouldn't have recognized her, there was so much caked dirt and sand all over his face. Whoever he was, he wasn't feelin' any too good. He was about six feet tall, medium build, sandy colored hair, matted with blood. He must have hit his head pretty hard when he landed on the rocks. With a great heave, I lifted him up and over my saddle and lashed him securely to it. I put his hat over the saddle horn and we started slowly for the top. All the way up I was cussing up a storm. I couldn't help it. I was so pissed off I couldn't see straight. It was 110, I was stuck in the desert with some almost dead guy and tonight was supposed to be my big night with Bernice. I kicked a saguaro as hard as I could and almost broke my toe.

When we got up to the angel, I had been right. There was shade there under her wings. It wasn't exactly cool, but it was a darn sight better than sittin' in the hot sun would have been. We might just have a chance here. I would wait until nightfall and then we'd try to make it back to the ranch. I untied the ropes, lifted the guy off Ginger, and lowered him as gently as I could to the ground. I was pissed, but I had to remember that this thing wasn't his fault. He couldn't shoot himself in the back, could he? I took off my saddle, no need for Ginger to be uncomfortable all afternoon, and rolled up the blanket for a pillow. I put it under his head. He moaned softly. Maybe he would come around and I could find out what the hell had happened.

"Hey, hey you, you gonna wake up?"

That was a little stupid, but what else was I gonna say? I felt like I had to say something. He wasn't gonna hear me anyway, so I guess it was more than just a little stupid. It was a lot stupid. There wasn't anything really you could say to a guy who had been shot was there? It was a little soon for "What son of a bitch shot you?" He just moaned a little bit. It would really be better for him if he didn't wake up. That shoulder was going to hurt a lot. It didn't seem to be real bad, just a nasty flesh wound, but, still, he was lucky he hadn't bled to death. I hated to waste my water, but he flat out needed a drink and I couldn't stand to let him lay there with that caked dirt and sand all over his face. That grit had to be really uncomfortable and he needed all the air on his face he could get in this heat. I'd use as little water as possible. First I used a little just to wet his lips. They were dry and chapped. I knew the water would sting, but those lips looked so dry and painful, they made mine hurt. I just had to wet them a little. When I poured the water on his lips, he opened his mouth instinctively and I poured just a little in. He spit it out. Great. Just what we needed. Almost no water left, and he spits out the little bit we have. Then, I got just a little bit of my neckerchief damp and wiped his face off with it as much as I could. Shit, he was just a kid. Damn. Who would shoot a kid? What kind of a question was that? Lots of assholes would shoot anyone out here if they felt like it and thought they could get away with it. This wasn't the east. This was the wild, wild west. Shit.

He looked to be about 18, give or take a year or two. I wondered if he was from somewhere close? Was someone missing him? Did he work on one of the ranches? No, probably not. He was dressed a little too well for that. He wasn't a cowboy in an outfit like that. Who was he? He sure wasn't a rustler or a bank robber. Well someone didn't like him, that was for sure. I hoped he'd pull through. I'd hate to have a kid die on me. I'd have to feel bad, and I hated to feel bad. Oh well, I'd done all I could do. He didn't look like he was gonna come around for awhile, and there was no sense wasting any more energy than I had to. That was a real nasty lump there on his head. I laid down beside him and put my head on what was left of the blanket. I put my hat over my face. I'd catch a little shut-eye myself. This wasn't going to be any picnic.

I woke up with a start. He was yelling in his sleep. I jumped up off the ground and grabbed my gun. I had forgot what was going on. It took me a couple of seconds to remember. He was coming around and the pain must have been really intense. Suddenly he opened his eyes. He was looking right past me. He didn't even see me. It was scary...real scary.

"No, don't do it! No! Don't! Please!"

And then he was out again. I'd never seen such fear in anyone's eyes, and it worried me that he had looked right past me at something or someone who wasn't there. It looked more and more like this kid might not make it. I didn't think the shoulder or the loss of blood would likely kill him, but that lump on his head had me worried. I decided that we couldn't risk trying to get back to the ranch that night. He was too weak. The night would be cooler and he could rest...maybe get back a little of his strength. I had seen a couple of barrel cactus down at the foot of the mountain. I could try to get some water down him, and by morning, he'd either be a little bit better...or maybe he'd be a little bit dead. Either way, some sort of decision would be made for me. What I was really hoping for was that Gus would miss me and they'd come looking for me. He knew it would have to be something really serious to keep me from my evening with the lovely Bernice.

It was about eight o'clock I'd guess when the kid started shivering. I'd never seen anything like it. His whole body started shaking, and he started saying over and over, "Cold, so cold, so cold." I covered him with the blanket, but that didn't seem to be enough. He just kept on shivering. So I did the only thing I could think of to do...I laid down next to him and got up as close to him as I could to try to give him some of my body heat. Then I covered us both with the blanket and held him tight, making sure not to grab his bad arm. If the blanket and my body heat didn't work, I didn't know what I would do. There was nothing around to make a fire out of, and I was afraid to leave him alone while I went to find something. He kept on shivering for about 15 minutes and then the shivering began to subside. Whew...my body heat was working, but I was getting tired. The position I had had to get into to keep him warm was really uncomfortable, and I didn't know how much longer I could hold on. Then, just when I thought I couldn't hold on any longer, he seemed to relax some way, and then, finally, so could I. I didn't think I should leave him, however, as the night wasn't going to get any warmer. So, I tried to make myself a little more comfortable right there next to him. It would be a long night. At some point, he had laid his head on my shoulder. I left it there. The rolled blanket was not what I would describe as a comfortable pillow, and he needed all the rest he could get.

I was surprised by my reaction, to his head on my shoulder, that is. I would have thought that it would have bothered me, but it didn't. It was a little uncomfortable, but it made me feel good somehow. I felt like I was finally helping him in some way, but it was more than that. It had a natural feel to it. Being this close to him seemed natural too. I must have had some hidden fatherly instincts I knew nothing about. I guess we all have them even if we don't get a chance to show them. I considered one more time making a small fire to keep us warm, but I thought the less movement the better and my body heat and the blanket would probably be about as warm as a fire would have been, burning three to five feet away. I laid my arm over his body...it was really a lot more comfortable that way...and fell right to sleep.

In the morning, when I woke up, I was staring into the biggest pair of blue eyes I had ever seen. Of course, they might have seemed so big because they were only about six inches away from mine.

"Who are you?"

"I'm Eddie. Who are you?"

"I'm Zack. Where are we?"

"Angel Mountain."

"Oh, on the Wells' ranch?"

"Yes.

" I'm Zack Larson from the Circle L."

"Jim Larson's son?"

"Yes."

"What happened to you, son?"

He sat up slowly with a little help from me and tried to rub his eyes. Then he winced and laid back down again.

"I don't know. I was on my way back from town and decided to take a shortcut across the Bar W. It was late morning and I remember looking up at the angel. I always like to cut across by Angel Mountain to see what the angel is up to. She always seems to be doing something different, depending on how the sun is shining on her. I heard horses behind me and thought it was probably some of Mr. Wells' ranch hands, and, as I turned to say hello, I felt a pain in my right shoulder. I don't remember hearing a shot, but I guess that's what happened all right. I tried to get away, but.... And now here I am sitting here with you."

"And you don't have any idea who shot you?"

"Well dad has been having trouble with Sam Grant at the Double Bar X over water, but Sam's been a friend for years. I don't think he would...."

"How about money? Were you carrying any?"

"Not much. About twenty dollars, I guess."

"Where was it?"

"In my...it's gone. Do you think someone would shoot me for twenty dollars?"

"Out here I think someone would shoot you for twenty cents, kid. They probably took one look at your clothes and.... I bet you had a nice horse too, didn't you?"

"Real nice. One of the best. He's beautiful."

"Beautiful and gone. Looks pretty obvious to me, kid. It wasn't anything personal, just an old fashioned robbery."

"Damn. I bet my dad's worried sick."

"I bet he is, too. It won't be long 'till they come looking for us."

"You work on the Bar W?"

"Yeah. Name's Eddie, Eddie Bellamy."

"Well, thanks, Eddie. I guess I'm pretty lucky you came along. Hope I wasn't too much trouble."

"No trouble at all, kid. Hey, you think you could ride for just a little bit?"

"Yeah, a little, I think."

"You know that little stream over by Black Mesa?"

"Yeah., I know the one. I usually stop and get a drink there on my way home from town."

"There are trees there, and at least we'd have plenty of water. We could clean you up a little bit. Until we get some of that blood washed away from your shoulder and your head, we won't be able to tell for sure how bad you're hurt. Hell, you might not even be hurt at all." He smiled.

"Let's give it a try. We can't spend the day here in this heat. Maybe after sundown, if they haven't found us yet, we can try to make it back."

"Sounds like a plan. We might even find something to eat over there."

"Like what?"

"Rabbit, rattle snake. You ever eat roasted prickly pear?"

"Yeah, but I didn't think much of it."

"That's just because you weren't hungry enough. You'll think it tastes real good today."

Zack laughed. That was a good sign. He was still very weak, though, and so we would have to take it slow and easy. I got Ginger saddled and ready and gently helped him up and into the saddle.

"I'm gonna lead you down the mountain, Zack, and then I'm gonna climb on behind you for the trip to the mesa. You think you're steady enough for me to do that?"

"I think so."

"Okay, let's give it a try."

Ginger didn't seem to mind the extra load and Zack and I were both skinny enough to fit comfortably on her back. I put my arms around him just above the waist and away we started to ride...very slowly. Again, our closeness felt very natural to me. Even though the desert was beginning to heat up, I enjoyed the closeness and the warmth coming from Zack's body. I had an urge to lay my head on his back. I must have been a bit more tired than I thought I was, or was it that fatherly thing again? Zack was a tough kid, and I was really starting to like him.

We got to the stream in about an hour. I was glad we were there because Zack was getting really tired. He was being good about it, but I could tell that sitting up and holding on was an effort. I got him off Ginger and made him comfortable under a tree near the stream. Ginger got a nice big drink which I'm sure she really needed and began grazing on some desert grass near the stream. I filled my canteen at the stream and took a huge drink, then filled it again and gave it to Zack. He drank it down quickly and I filled it again for him. Then it was time to find something to eat. I found some berries growing near the stream. I didn't recognize them, but it looked like the birds had been eating them, so I thought we should take a chance. I'd try to catch something to eat later. The berries hit the spot and neither one of us died. I guess we were luckier than we were smart. Then Zack napped again. He was getting stronger. It wasn't cool under the trees exactly, but it was a lot less hot than it would have been anywhere else. We could survive here if they didn't find us for awhile, although I really did expect them to find us soon. Zack wasn't bleeding, but that arm needed to be treated and that head needed to be looked at, and the sooner, the better.

I got a chance to take a good look at him now as he rested beneath the tree. He really was a good looking kid. I had seen his dad a couple of times and he was the spitting image of his old man. He was blonde, probably with a light complexion, although it was golden tan now from being in the sun. His hair was medium long. He had full lips and high cheekbones, and a very long, lean body. He was also very, very dirty. As I looked at him I had to smile...and there were stirrings within me that I didn't exactly recognize, or maybe I didn't want to recognize. I decided to chalk it up to that fatherly caring thing again. It looked like I would never have a son, but if I ever did, I would want him to be exactly like Zack.

"How old are you, Zack?"

"Nineteen. How old are you?"

"Thirty-four."

"How long you worked for Mr. Wells.?"

"Oh, about four years."

"It's funny I haven't ever seen you around."

"Oh, I don't get off the ranch much."

"You like working for Mr. Wells?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"We pay better."

"Yeah, I've heard."

"I think we might just have an opening if you want it."

"You think I might get hired?

"I have an 'in' with the boss. I think you might."

We both laughed. I knew I would be working on the Circle L soon. It would be hard to leave Gus. I liked him a lot, but good pay was good pay and I could see him in town. Maybe I could even talk Mr. Larson into hiring Gus after I had worked there awhile.

"Zack?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know you're one of the dirtiest guys I have ever seen?"

He looked down. "Yeah, I guess I am pretty disgusting, huh?"

"Well sort of. If I threw you in a pen with some hogs right now, I'd have trouble telling which ones were them and which one was you."

"I feel really gritty. There's sand everywhere...in my shirt and down in my pants...and it's beginning to itch, too."

"Well, we've got a stream, Zack, just waitin' for you down there. It'll clean you right up."

"But the water's gonna be so cold."

"Nonsense. It's a perfect day for a swim. Besides, you don't want your dad to see you looking like that."

"Eddie, I've been shot."

"There's no excuse for dirt, Zack."

"I'll need some help."

"I'm here, and I'll make sure you don't fall and hurt yourself."

"You're not so clean yourself, you know."

"I'm very aware of that. I plan to clean myself up, too."

"Okay. I'll give it a try. Help me hobble down there."

I was really easy with Zack. He was a lot stronger, but still very weak, and I wanted to avoid any jostling of that shoulder if at all possible. I'd make a make-shift sling for it after he got cleaned up. I knew, however, that he would feel much better if we could just rinse him and those dirty, bloody clothes off in the stream. It would also make him feel much cooler. We got down to the stream and found a place where the bottom was sandy and not covered with slimy, slippery rocks. The water was cold, but would feel good after that awful desert heat. I helped Zack carefully out of his shirt. I thought I might have to try to rip it at the seam, since it was stuck so tight, but we got it wet and it came off pretty easily. I could tell that it hurt to get water in that wound, but, then again, cleaning it out was probably the best thing for it.

After we got his shirt off, I helped him sit down on a rock. I splashed water on his back and his chest and washed his hair for him, using my canteen to rinse out all of the sand and blood. His blonde hair shone in the sunlight. When he stood up, I couldn't believe his body. He was one muscular young man. His chest and his arms were well developed and his waist almost wasn't there, making those massive shoulders look even bigger. Again I had those stirrings. I wasn't sure now that they were all that fatherly, but I tried to ignore them. He tried to unfasten his pants, but couldn't manage it, so I unbuttoned them for him and slipped them down around his knees. I deliberately did not look at him then. I didn't want to embarrass either one of us. He sat down on the rock and I pulled his pants the rest of the way off. I turned my back to him and began rinsing his clothes in the stream. I was surprised at how easily the dirt and blood washed out of them in the swiftly running water. Then I took them up and hung them on some bare branches to dry in the sun.

When I turned back around, Zack was standing in the stream with the sun shining down on his body. His back was to me. I had never seen anything more beautiful in my life. His wet body glistened in the sunlight, and when he bent over to splash more water over his beautiful skin, well, the feelings I was having now were anything but fatherly, I can tell you that. I was hard...rock hard. I didn't understand it, but I knew it felt good, and I knew I didn't want these feelings, whatever they were, to go away. He turned around and smiled at me, and I melted. He was even more beautiful from the front than he was from behind.

I had never looked at a man in quite that way before. Always before it had just been a man and nothing more. Now all of that had changed. Zack had become a beautiful object of longing, and I wanted him. I really did. I wanted to touch him. I wanted to study him. I wanted to hold his beautiful dick in my hands and to feel it harden there. I knew I shouldn't be feeling this way and quickly pushed the thoughts from my mind. I asked him if he was ready to get out.

"No, uh uh, this feels really good. I'll wait until you're finished."

What was I going to do? If I took off my pants, my secret would be out...so to speak. He'd see how hard I was and know how I felt. I would definitely be leaving for Ohio sooner than I had planned... and probably in a pine box. People frowned on what I was thinking around those parts. Hell, I frowned on what I was thinking around those parts. Shit. I wasn't even thinking. I was just feeling. Someone or something else was in charge of me and I sure as hell wasn't sure who or what it was.

"I'm not sure I'm going to clean up right now."

"Now wait a minute. That was part of the deal. We would both get clean. You can't throw me into the icy water and then try to back out after I'm cold and wet."

"Okay, okay."

I had to concentrate. Maybe the water would be cold enough to...well, soften the problem a little. If not, I could sit down real quick in the deeper pool. He'd never notice if my back was to him. Then, when I stood up, I could pick up my clothes in front of me and carry them up the hill with me, and by then, well, I could think of something by then. Yes, I'd be all right. I walked slowly down to the stream, being very careful not to look at Zack. My brain, however, had already seen him and wasn't about to forget what he looked like. It was almost worse not looking at him than it had been looking at him. Everywhere I looked in my brain, I saw Zack's beautiful dick. Inside my brain he would forever be standing there naked in the cool water with the sun shining down on that beautiful golden body. I "wasn't" looking just about as hard as I could, but the vision wouldn't go away. He was beautiful and, god, I wanted him. Lord, how I wanted him. What the hell was I going to do?

When I got to the stream, I was panicked, but I tried not to show it. I took off my boots and sox and placed them carefully next to a creosote bush. Then I got ready to step into the water. I still avoided looking at him at all costs. This was a big mistake, because he reached out to take my hand to keep me from falling as I entered the stream. I didn't know the touch was coming. I had never felt anything like it. Electricity entered my body and began circling through it, coursing around and through me over and over again. I couldn't help it...I started shivering. It was all I could do not to gasp. Still, I could not look at him, and as a result, I slipped on a small rock.

As I began to fall, Zack grabbed me with his left arm to try to keep me from falling, and I fell into him, causing him to fall back on to the rock on which he had just been sitting. I had no way to steady myself and fell on top of him, and we rolled off the rock together into the stream. That was it. It was all over. That was all she wrote.

My instincts took over. I had no control. We were face to face with the water rushing over us and our bodies entwined. The feeling was absolutely unbelievable...and absolutely perfect. As we lay there on the soft sandy bottom of the cool desert stream, our bodies locked together, I kissed him. I just did it. I just puckered up and let her fly.

Oh shit, that felt good. His lips were warm and supple now, and I didn't care if he reached up with his good arm and drowned me right there. It was worth it. Again the electricity coursed through my body, only this time it was much more intense. He had to feel it, didn't he? Well, didn't he? He pulled away and just looked at me curiously like he had no idea what had just happened to him or what to do about it. He didn't look angry...only confused. He just stared at me. And then, slowly, at the corners of his mouth, arose this little, ornery, shit-eatin' grin, and before I knew what was happening, he kissed me back. Only this time, it was the most amazing kiss of my life. Our tongues entwined, and the feeling was so intense that we fell back down into the water. We nearly drowned, coming up, gasping for air just in time. Then we both just looked at each other again. What the hell was going on?

"Eddie?"

"Don't ask me kid. It's never happened to me either."

"Did you feel that, Eddie?"

"Oh, yeah, kid. I felt it."

"You hard, Eddie?"

"Yep. As a rock. You?"

He took my hand in his and pulled it down, resting it on his engorged, hard dick.

"Yep, that's hard all right. What the hell do we do now?"

"I have a suggestion."

"What's that?"

"Take off your clothes, Eddie."

"You think I should.?"

"I know you should."

"You sure?"

"Eddie, take off your goddamn clothes!"

And so I did. He seemed to like what he saw and smiled. I stood up and pulled him up to me slowly and carefully. And then we kissed again in that cold little stream for what seemed like hours. Towards the end of the kissing, we started rubbing. Oh, yeah, it was good rubbing. I mean, I really liked the rubbing.

"You like rubbing, Eddie?"

"Oh, yeah, kid, I really liked rubbing."

"You want to rub some more?"

"I want to rub forever, kid, but I think it would be better if we don't rub any more right now, don't you?"

"Yeah. I'm afraid of what might happen."

So off we went to the trees. We put down the blanket and laid down on it together. I don't know how we knew what to do next. I guess our instincts just took over, because, before I had thought much about it, Zack's dick was in my mouth. I can't remember exactly how it got there, but there it was. Lordy, did that dick taste good. Oh, god, was I in heaven. I remember thinking, "So that's what a dick is for!" I could have sucked and sucked on it forever.

"Eddie?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Do I get a turn?"

"At what?"

"Sucking."

"Sure, Kid. Be my guest."

And then...he did. I gotta tell you that, as much as I liked sucking , I liked being sucked that much more. Now I not only knew what a dick was for, I knew what a mouth was for, too. What a perfect fit...a dick and a mouth. It was true. Nothing in the world was random! I didn't know how much longer I could hold out, however.

"Eddie?"

"Oh, shit, Zack, what?"

"You wanta do it at the same time?"

"Do what at the same time?"

And with that, he changed positions and moved his scrawny little ass so that his giant dick was right in my face. Well, what was I supposed to do? It was there, wasn't it? I latched onto it, of course. We were now sucking each other at the same time. This was the most amazing feeling of all! This was more than amazing...this was the meaning of life, and no one had ever told me!

"Eddie?"

"Yeah, Zack?"

"I think I'm gonna cum now...you?"

"Ummm...hmmm."

"Let me know when."

"'When', kid! Fucking 'when'!!!"

With that, he began sucking like there was no tomorrow and so did I. In seconds we were both cumming and cumming and moaning and moaning like we had never cum or moaned before. No matter how much each of us thrashed around on that blanket, the other one held on and sucked for dear life. Never had our rodeo experience come in quite so handy. On and on we came until finally, exhausted, we simply collapsed. We didn't move, but just lay still enjoying the warm and wonderful feelings that had taken over our bodies. Then, slowly my hunger for Zack began to build within me again. It was a hunger like none that I had ever known before. I had to hold him and to kiss him, and I had to do it now.

"Zack, come here, baby. Come now...hurry!"

And in an instant, he was in my arms and I was once again kissing those wonderful lips...feeling that wonderful warmth.

"Eddie?"

"Yeah, Zack?"

"I hope they never find us."

"They have to, Zack. You're arm needs treatment."

"Oh, yeah, that. I guess they better find us then, huh?"

"Yes."

"Eddie?"

"After they find us and my arm and head are better and you're working at the Circle L, can we get lost again?"

"Sure, kid, whenever you want."

"Lots of times?"

"Lots of times."

And we did, too...lots of times. Zack and I spent the next five wonderful years "getting lost" together. My love for that kid was like nothing I had ever felt before and I knew he loved me just as much as I loved him. Life, however, has a nasty habit of leading people their separate ways...even when they're in love. The railroad came to Aliceville, and to get there, it had to come right smack dab through the ole Circle L. Mr. Larson made out pretty well...well, better than that. Mr. Larson became way too wealthy to stay in those parts, so he took all that wonderful money and moved to San Francisco. He was real generous with all of us hands too. He shared the wealth and gave us all real nice big bonuses. I took mine and moved back to Ohio and bought that farm I had always talked about.

"Eddie, you're going to Ohio, right?"

"Yeah, Zack, you want to come with me?"

"You know I do, Eddie, but you know I can't. I gotta go to San Francisco with my dad."

"I know, kid."

"He's getting old and he doesn't know it, but he's going to need me. Besides, Eddie, you know we couldn't live together on your farm in Ohio. No one would understand two men living together like that."

"I guess you're right."

"But I love you, Eddie, you know that, don't you?"

"I know that kid, and I love you...always will, you know."

"Me too. This is really gonna hurt, isn't it?"

"Yeah. I think it is, kid. It's gonna hurt like hell."

"Can I come and visit you in Ohio, Eddie?"

"Any time you want, Zack."

"Next month be too soon?"

We both laughed and hugged and kissed...and cried. Oh how we cried. I felt like something was being ripped right out of me. We "got lost" one more time and then, without looking back, I headed for Ohio. But just like that first time I had tried not to see him, everywhere I looked, my mind saw Zack...only this time it was through tears.

I had been living in Ohio on my little farm for about ten years. I had carved out a nice little farmer's life for myself. I had a nice house, a dog, a cat, and spent most evenings after work, sitting in front of the fire, reading and smoking my pipe. I was, I guess, growing old gracefully. I missed Zack...a lot. I knew I always would, but I knew also that he had been young and good looking and was probably living his own very nice life in San Francisco. He and his dad had become really big in the shipping industry there...millionaires...Larson International Shipping, they called themselves. Mr. Larson had died about a year ago and I had sent Zack a card. I would never know if it had gotten to him or not. I hoped that it had. I had never stopped loving him or wondering how he was doing, and I wanted him to know that.

One night about dusk, I had just finished supper and had a good fire going in the fireplace. My current book was a good one, and I couldn't wait to get my pipe lit, my feet up, and pick up where I had left off the night before. There was a knock at the door. I thought it was strange, because no one knocked on doors in those parts. They just walked right in. Oh, well, it would be interesting to see just who the heck had developed a case of good manners. I got up and went to the door to see who on earth it could be. When I opened the door, I couldn't believe my eyes. There stood Zack on the porch, naked as a jaybird. He was a little older, a little heavier, but just as cute as ever, and he was still wearin' that little shit-eatin' grin.

"Hello, sir, I'm all alone and lost and don't know a soul in these parts and I was wondering if you might be so kind as to help me? I don't mind getting lost, you know, really, but I do so hate getting lost alone. Would you maybe be interested in getting lost with me tonight?" And then the little shit winked at me.

I started crying, reached out and grabbed him, pulled him inside the house, slammed the door, and locked it. Then, I put my arms around him and started hugging him so tight he couldn't get his breath.

"Eddie?"

"Yeah, kid?"

"Could you not squeeze me quite so hard? I can't breathe and I think I might die soon."

"Sorry, kid. There ain't no way I'm ever letting go of you again. I think you're just gonna have to die."

We 'got lost' together that night...really lost. Oh, Lordy, how we 'got lost'! And, I'm happy to say that Zack and I have been pretty much lost together back here in Ohio ever since.