Chapter 17
Then Calvin supplied him with the out he needed. “So, what’s it gonna be—pass or play?”
“I’m sorry?” Dan asked, bewildered.
“Pass or play,” Calvin repeated.
“I’m…I’m not sure what you mean.”
Calvin smiled. “Are we gonna go to my place and have sex and see where this goes, or are we gonna pass, say it was nice meeting you, and go our separate ways with no hard feelings? It’s a simple way of determining our intentions without going into long explanations or getting into uncomfortable situations we might regret. One word is all that’s necessary. Pass…or…play?”
Dan took a deep breath. “I guess it’ll be pass.”
“I kind of thought so,” Calvin said and stood up. “Thanks for the coffee.”
Dan stood as well.
“Can I at least have a hug so I can experience some of that fantastic body of yours?” Calvin asked very quietly.
The coffee shop was almost empty, so Dan nodded and let Calvin pull him into a tight hug. Dan could feel the man’s hard cock press against him.
“I’ll be dreaming of you tonight,” Calvin whispered in Dan’s ear. Then Calvin said goodbye and walked out of the store.
Dan watched him go. Pass or play. I’ll have to remember that, he thought. 6
Dan’s encounter with Calvin had put the brakes on his headlong flight into the gay world. In the two weeks since he’d ventured forth to find his gay identity, he’d been seduced, fallen in love and been rejected, engaged in an evening of drunken debauchery, and in turn had become a rejecter. He decided to cool it for the time being and let things settle in his mind.
For the next few weeks Dan went about his business, putting his deliberations for a new life on the back burner. He took care of his physical needs in the time honored tradition of men throughout the ages—with his trusty right hand.
One morning at the clinic he went into the office to get his schedule of farm calls for the day. Ezra Devlin was at the counter having a hissy fit.
“Damn, this Wagner guy wants two horses’ teeth floated and he can’t be there until after four.”
At the mention of Scott Wagner’s name, Dan’s heart skipped a beat, and a kaleidoscope of butterflies took flight somewhere in his midsection.
“Does this dude have any idea of how long it takes to float teeth?” Devlin continued.
Rose looked over Ezra’s head at Dan, raised her eyes to the ceiling, and shook her head.
“And he lives way the hell out on Highway 16. I keep telling the director and the clinic board that the Hatcherson place should be out of our service area. But does our esteemed clinic director listen? Oh no! I won’t get home until nine and the kids have a soccer game!”
“I’ll take it if you like,” Dan offered, walking up to the counter next to Ezra.
“What?” Ezra sputtered. Then he softened and added, “You will? You sure?”
“Yeah, my next door neighbor will take care of Lad and Lady for me and I’ve got no one else to come home to.”
The look of sympathy Rose gave Dan made him realize that last statement sounded like he was feeling sorry for himself. He quickly added, “Besides, this Wagner guy is pretty interesting. He’s an environmental engineer.”
“Well, he’s all yours,” Ezra said. “Thanks a million, I owe you one.”
“Glad to do it,” Dan replied. And he was.
* * * *
The day had seemed to drag on as Dan anticipated his farm call at the Hatchersons’ place. To top it off, he was running late. Two of his appointments had taken longer than anticipated. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was feeling so excited about seeing Scott again. Yeah, the man was attractive, intellectually interesting—but married. Nevertheless, despite that minor detail, Dan was anxious to get to the farm—and Scott.
It was well past five o’clock when he finally pulled into the driveway. He noticed that significant progress had been made on the renovation of the old farmhouse, but the mobile home was still in place.
Dan drove to the barn. As he was getting out of his truck, Scott came out of the building. If Dan had thought him hot on the last visit, it was nothing to how he seemed now. Dressed as he was in cargo shorts and a tank top, the man oozed sexuality. Somehow the man’s wire framed glasses accentuated it.
Scott made his way to Dan, who was opening the mobile vet box on the back of his truck. He shook hands with Dan and clapped him on the shoulder. “I was hoping it would be you,” he said, a big smile on his handsome face.