Five days later, in the morning, Jaume was awakened by the telephone. Still drowsy, he picked up the receiver and recognized Miguel's voice.
"You hit the mark! I was sure you would. We won, two to zero!"
"Hit the mark? Two to zero? What are you fucking saying?"
"About Juan. The other day, after you two were together, the entire journey back, he did nothing but talk about you..."
"About me? Did he tell you what we did in bed?"
"No, not even a hint. He is a reserved guy in those matters. He was talking about you, he was enthusiastic, I'd say quite fascinated by you. And when I told him you were the best hustler in Sitges, he came close to beating me. He doesn't want me to use that word when speaking about you. He says you are a learned, likable and remarkable boy... By the way, he said he enjoyed it, whatever you did. Then, as we agreed, he took me to meet a prostitute. I had sex with her. Then I told him that I didn't really like it. As far as the ass, there is little difference. But giving head, a male is much more skilled, I told him. And about her pussy, to put it inside there seemed to me like wearing shoes that were too big. And licking her there, I didn't like the smell at all, I prefer the taste and the smell of a good dick. And he almost admitted I was right, do you understand?"
"Do you mean he is now gay?"
"No, not that. I really don't believe so. He still likes women. But he told me that he wouldn't refuse to try it again, especially with you. And also, he later told me that even before the experiment; he never had anything against gay people. Just that he despised a little, hustlers and prostitutes. But that now that he has met you, he doesn't despise hustlers any more. Of course he never used the word hustler, instead, he said gigolo..."
"I too liked Juan. He is a simple, frank, honest boy. I didn't give him my calling card. Please, eventually give him my telephone number."
"Do you hope to meet him again?"
"Why not, I would like to. I feel he is a dear boy. And then... I have been his first man, right?"
After the telephone call, Jaume stood up. He sensually stretched, made a few bends and looked at himself in the mirror. His body was in perfect shape - right weight, muscles well outlined without being overly developed and a light and uniform tan... He took a quick shower, shaved and sprinkled his body with the very light perfume he usually wore. Donning his restaurant uniform, he carefully combed his hair so that it was neither too neat nor too rebellious. He smiled at himself in the mirror, satisfied with the image he saw reflected in it, and went to work.
Doing his double shifts at work was somewhat tiring, but he still had to pay several installments on his loan. In the afternoon he went to the pool, then to language lessons. In the evening, after his second shift, he went back home to change clothes, then to Reflejos. He greeted the owner and sat at the counter to chat with the two or three other hustlers who usually went there. Then they parted and each sat at a different table, so that eventual johns could easily pick them up. Around midnight a Frenchman sat at his table. He didn't like him, so with a pretext, kindly but firmly let him understand he preferred to be left alone. At twelve fifteen a man about forty entered, rather elegant and not bad looking at all.
Jaume watched him, hoping he would come to his table. In fact, after exchanging two words with the bartender, the man approached him.
"May I sit at your table?"
"Certainly, please."
>From the accent, even if he spoke good Spanish, he could be English. They continued their conversation. He was Australian.
After awhile, the man said: "The bartender says you are the most expensive, but the best here in Sitges. This afternoon he told me that I could find you here around this time. Would you like to share your time to me tonight?"
"Sure, willingly. Would you like to come to my place?"
They went to Jaume's house. When they undressed, seeing how the man was well endowed, the boy expected something completely different from what happened. The Australian enjoyed licking all of Jaume's body, giving him long and skilled head bringing him just a step away from orgasm only to then slacken and make his excitation subside in a very agreeable torture. The man didn't caress him, didn't want to be caressed, nothing at all. On the contrary, he wanted Jaume to stay still on the bed, spread eagled, and let him feast. While the Australian tirelessly busied himself on Jaume, the boy was thinking.
He was recalling all those with whom he had sexual intercourse, especially his clients. There were really all types and every taste. Most of them, reached their orgasm, dressed quickly and left. And this also happened among his repeat clients. At times, meeting them on the street, they didn't even greet him. Possibly they didn't even recognize him, probably they were ashamed of him, perhaps they despised him... who knows. And yet, how many of them, during sex and especially when they were nearing their orgasm, would call Jaume "love". What an empty word, he thought. What a wasted word. Those who called him "pig" during sex, were after all, more honest and coherent. And then, hardly one of his clients knew what tenderness was. They fucked, or asked to be fucked, and that's that. Almost mechanically. Luckily there were some rare exceptions, and then Jaume enjoyed it, savoured it.
Some talked with him almost like a confessor. Some exchanged barely two or three words. Some in bed were completely passive - he had to do everything, he was paid for that. Some instead, like the client tonight, wanted to do everything and he had to be passive, like an object... Jaume had to let himself be submissively manipulated like a plastic erotic doll, one of those horrible inflatable dolls... At least he was beautiful... Some rare times there was balance. Some rare times the client, besides looking of course for his own pleasure, showed interest also in Jaume's pleasure. Even this one, who was after all giving him pleasure, didn't do it for the boy's sake, but just for himself.
Happily, Jaume had friends like Miguel or Alvino. And also Jorge and Carlos, two other hustlers.
He felt that he was again nearing his orgasm, and this time, his client didn't seem like he was going to slow down. Jaume closed his eyes - he was bothered seeing the Australian's head bustle about his cock, but being so completely indifferent to him. What appealed to that man was just that piece of his body, and he was only interested in it because he liked to feel it hard inside his mouth, make it shudder, provoke its orgasm. If that man could have just a cock, without a body, a dildo but alive, reacting to his oral stimulations, he would have been just as happy. Even the licks at the beginning, the boy thought, were just to make his cock hard.
When he at last ejaculated in his client's eager mouth, Jaume felt a kind of weird dissociation - the part of him that enjoyed it was his member, not he himself. The guy, drinking the last drop of the boy's warm sperm concluded the act, dressed again, exchanged a few words with Jaume for simple formality, paid him and left.
The boy took a shower, dressed again and went out. But he didn't intend to go cruising, he just didn't feel like it. It was one o'clock in the morning. He would take a short walk to the Bassa Rodona beach, then he would go back home to sleep. But he really needed some fresh air. Once out on the street, he turned onto Avinguda de Sofia, crossed the Passeig Marítim, pulled off his shoes and socks and went down onto the beach, to the waterline.
He was looking towards the open sea, leaden in the night, quilted by silver reflections of the high moon. Breathing deeply, he filled his lungs with the salty air that, in light sudden gusts, came from the sea. The lights of distant craft, boats, yachts or possibly the ferry for Palma de Majorca, rocked a little on the horizon. His thoughts were submerged in that dark sea, and finally he felt his mind become free, a calm serenity entered his heart. Smells, noises, a few lights and cozy colors wrapped around him. Only his bare feet, gently lapped by the eternal ebb and flow of the small waves, had definite sharp sensations.
Jaume was standing entranced in an almost dream-like state, when he sensed somebody hovering near him. He looked - it was a man, about 35 - 40 years old.
The stranger smiled at him and, in English, said: "A fine night, isn't it?"
Jaume answering the smile; said in English: "Yes, it cleans up the soul."
"Ah, luckily you speak my language. But... how old are you?"
"I'm twenty. Why?"
"At twenty, the soul is still clean. Doesn't need to be purified."
Jaume, smiled sadly and shook his head: "When one is twenty, his soul can be a hundred years old."
"Are you perhaps sad?"
"Yes and no. I am not sad. I am not happy."
"Do you want to be alone?"
"Doesn't matter. You are not bothering me."
"Are you a local?"
"Yes."
"Do you work?"
"I am a waiter at the restaurant La Brasa."
"Is it a good restaurant?"
"The best in Sitges."
"Then I have to go there. And not just for the food..."
Jaume looked at the man and gave him a coy, warm smile: "Are you a tourist?" he asked.
"No, I am in Barcelona for work."
"How long will you stay?"
"For a few months. I like Sitges - my friends told me a lot about it. So, today I decided to come and see for myself... and I really enjoyed it. Do you live far from here?"
"No, only a short distance, just back there. But from my home you can only see the mountains..."
"Do you live alone?"
"Yes, alone."
Jaume had the clear sensation that the man was interested in him, but nothing seemed to be happening. He liked the guy, was attracted by him.
"Do you have many friends, here in Sitges?"
"No, almost no one. Lot of acquaintances, but real friends, one, two..."
"I don't have real friends in Barcelona either. Acquaintances that, out of... laziness, one calls friends. So at times I feel lonely."
"Do you miss your country?"
"The States? No, not yet, at least. I feel good here, you are amiable, warm people. With you it is easy to communicate, it is agreeable to talk. Like now with you. Your English is good. Did you live in the United Kingdom or in the States?"
"I've never set foot out of Catalonia. I just studied it in school and now I take private lessons. For my work, it is useful to know languages."
"Do you like your work?"
"Yes. I get to meet all kinds of people, and from all over the world. I make a comfortable living, especially with the tips."
"Yes, I bet you receive a lot of tips, you have a captivating smile. You make someone immediately like you. Also you have a beautiful voice, you are good looking, and you have an elegant poise... It is a pleasure, just to look at you, to be near you..."
Jaume felt himself blushing, and was astounded at himself. He had never been shy, and it was not the first time somebody expressed appreciation for his body.
The man, after a short silence, said: "By the way, we've been talking for awhile and I haven't yet introduce myself. I'm Kevin Bowens."
"And I am Jaume Ferret. How do you do."
"How do you do. It's a pleasure to meet you. And this is not just a greeting, but what I really feel."
"You are very kind, sir."
"Can we be less formal? Can you call me just Kevin?"
"With pleasure, Kevin."
"It is very late, I have to go back."
"Can't you wait a little longer? Do you have a train to catch?"
"No, I'm here with my car. But this morning I have to be up very early. Would you accompany me to the parking lot?"
"Yes, gladly. Where did you park?"
"In Plaça d'Espanya."
"Ah, then we pass in front of my house. So I can show you where I live."
"All right."
Kevin didn't invite him, didn't touch him, didn't tell him anything, apart from the compliments. Still, Jaume was sure that the man was attracted to him, just as he felt attracted to the man. They walked, stopped briefly in front of Jaume's front door.
The boy, feeling strangely emotional, said: "Would you like to come upstairs a moment? Just for the stirrup cup?"
"No, thank you. It is too late. Next time I'll be pleased to come upstairs. Do you feel like meeting again?"
"Certainly, I really hope we do."
Jaume accompanied him to his car. Here they exchanged telephone numbers. Then Kevin gave him a quick kiss on his lips. Entering the car, he started the engine and from the window said to him, "See you soon, I hope." and drove away.
Jaume, watching the taillights vanishing in the distance, became aware that his heart was beating heavily. He went back home, climbed the stairs, entered and went to bed, always with Kevin's image in his eyes, his voice still in his ears, his light kiss still lingering on his lips.
Kevin called him the following morning.
"Can we meet, today?"
"I'm free between 2 and 7 p.m. Are you too?"
"Yes. Can we meet in front of the church?"
"In Plaça del Baluard? All right. I will be there around 2:15."
"I thought about you a lot. I hope we can really become friends."
"Yes, me too. I am happy I met you, Kevin."
They met. They walked a little, then stopped at the Aiguadolç beach. They went bare chest to sunbathe awhile. Jaume looked at Kevin's chest... and liked it. He felt the desire to put his lips on the small, flat and dark nipples of the man.
They talked a lot, about themselves, their thoughts, their tastes, almost as if they each wanted the other to understand better the person they had met. Jaume felt several times the urge to tell him that he was an escort, a luxury hustler, but he never found the courage. They never brought up the subject of their sexual preferences, even if it was more and more evident that each of them was attracted by the other.
"I feel so comfortable with you, Jaume. Time seems to fly by. In a while, you have to go back to work, right?"
"Yes, but we still have a little more time. Do you feel like going for a drink somewhere?"
"Yes, sure."
They put their shirts back on.
Kevin was looking at him: "I like looking at your chest. Do you exercise?"
"A little. Just to maintain a good shape."
"You have a nice body. You are a beautiful boy, indeed..."
"You have nothing to envy about me. You too are handsome."
After drinking an iced tea, Kevin accompanied Jaume to the Passeig de la Ribera, in front of the restaurant.
"Can I wait for you till the end of your shift?"
"Certainly yes. But what will you do, with that much time to kill?"
"I'll go back to the beach. Then have something to eat somewhere, then perhaps see a movie."
"Why don't you come to eat here at La Brasa? I can get you a discount..."
"Another time. I would like so much to kiss you now... but I presume it is better not to. Think of me as if I had."
"Thank you, Kevin. You are so sweet. I'm longing for 11 tonight!"
For the next four hours at work Jaume thought only about Kevin. He liked the man very much. He wanted to make love with him. But he felt curiously embarrassed, even at the idea of asking him. He would invite him to his home again. But he wouldn't take him into the alcove, he wouldn't even show it to him. He felt a little ashamed about it. And then, if he showed it to Kevin, the man would be bound to understand his second job...
When Jaume finally left work, he found Kevin standing by the El Greco monument. He waved his hand in greeting and smiling happily, went to meet him.
"Hi, Kevin. Where do you want to go, tonight? A pub, a disco, a nightclub?"
"Yesterday... you invited me to your place. Is the invitation still open?"
"Sure, sure, of course. Let's go, then."
Jaume was really happy while they quickly made their way to his home. They went upstairs, and he led Kevin into the foyer and sat him on the sofa.
"I'll put on some music. Would you like a drink?"
"Do you have any beer?"
"Yes, sure. There's some in the fridge; I'll get you one."
When Jaume returned, Kevin had slipped off his shoes and was half laying down on the sofa. Jaume handed him the bottle and was about to sit in the armchair in front, but Kevin patted his hand on the sofa, at his side, in a silent invitation. So Jaume sat at his side.
Kevin sipped his beer, then said with a low voice, "I feel so good with you, Jaume."
He sat up, put down the bottle and turning, his face was almost brushing that of the boy. Their eyes met, their faces slowly approached and they lightly kissed on the lips. Then Kevin embraced Jaume and their kiss became warmer, stronger, more intimate. They started to caress each other, then Jaume unbuttoned Kevin's shirt. He didn't have anything on underneath, so Jaume caressed his chest, his sides, his back, slipping his hands beneath the light cloth. At the same time, Kevin took the initiative and reached down to open Jaume's trousers enough to slip his hand inside the boy's boxers, to lightly caress the incipient erection. Jaume shuddered from head to toe and emitted a short moan of pleasure.
"What's the matter, Jaume?" the man asked gently, smiling at him.
"I like you Kevin. I like you very much!"
"I like you too. I desired you from that very first moment, there on the beach, last night."
They continued to caress, kissing each other, and to free the other of his clothes which fell, one after the other, haphazardly onto the carpet next to the sofa. As their bodies were exposed, to the delight of each other, to caresses and kisses, they fell prey to a growing but very sweet excitation, as if they were entering a dream.
That first time they made love there on the sofa, for both of them it was a very sweet experience, in spite of the uncomfortable position. Kevin left Jaume at around 2 a.m., promising him that he would come again the following afternoon. They met daily and each time they made love with increasing pleasure and ecstatic joy. They often went on long walks together, or went to the movies, or to do shopping. Slowly, both become aware that they were falling in love.