Warning! This is a tale about men loving men. If you find this disturbing - click off. If it's unlawful for you to read this - click off. If you under age - good luck if you can get away with it.

This is not a story for getting your rocks off. Just thought I'd let you know, so you won't waste your time if that's what your looking for.Otherwise, I hope you enjoy my writing.

I appreciate feedback and do my best to respond to it all. I may be contacted at: J S.Collection@Verizon.Net

A big thanks to TLC for her editing.


Also, I would like to extend a grateful hand to Greg Bowden for his help and input. Without it this story would be really lacking. If you are not familiar with his writing by all means look it up under his name in the list of Authors. "Dusty and Me" and "Chip" are my favorites and I highly recommend them. Thanks, Greg.


Charley

by JWSmith

Note: This story has been rewritten and expanded immensely. So if you've read it once you might like to read it again to get the gist of where it's going. Enjoy. J.


Chapter 1 Meeting Charley

When I left Jim's that afternoon after I had been rebuffed for the second time for trying to get him to say that he loved me, I went back to my place, packed a duffle and my saddle bags, tied them on the back of my classic low slung 1952 Indian motorcycle and headed out of town with no destination in mind. I rode with my mind full of hurt, anger and resentment. I felt that I deserved better from Jim; I had spent over two years of my life courting him, hoping that one day he'd come around. That was what I was telling myself anyway. The truth was something else. And I wasn't ready to face the truth.

I rode without my helmet, letting the wind whip through my hair, blowing the negativity from my mind. After a few droning hours on the open highway my mind was cleared of the anger and resentment I was feeling toward him. I felt at peace with myself and the world. Jim didn't matter for the moment.

I rode late into the night and finally stopped at two-bit motel on the outskirts of the small city of Kirksville. After a hot shower I lay on the hard bed and stared at the dark ceiling, thinking how I was just out of sync with the rest of the world.


I finally dozed off as the sky was getting light.

Late the next day I cruised around town and decided that it was as good as anyplace to hold up in for a bit while I

licked my wounds and let them heal. I found a little old, but clean, hotel just off downtown and rented a room by the day. That evening I tooled around until I found a café where a police motorcycle and a couple of cruisers were parked out front. I knew there would be good food there. The police always know where there is good affordable food to be had.

The two cops driving the cruisers were standing at the cash register, paying their check when I entered. They turned to look at me. I nodded to them and stepped up to the counter, set my helmet on a stool, pulled off my leather jacket and draped it over the back of it and then sat down on the stool next to it. I glanced around and didn't see the other cop, noted the restroom sign above an arched alcove. I picked up the menu and started to peruse it. I looked up when I heard the squeal of door hinges in bad need of some graphite. The motorcycle cop, with his helmet tucked under one arm, stood in the arched doorway. Covertly, I watched the big blonde handsome hunk over the top of my menu. He looked at the stool next to where he stood and then at me. I think my heart skipped a few beats when our eyes skirmished. I dropped my eyes, and he walked out of my line of vision . A moment later a deep masculine voice sent a thrill down my spine and interrupted my decision making.

"Mind if I sit here?"

Not believing that the hunky cop was wanting to sit next to me, I swivelled to glanced down the row of empty stools, and then I looked up to verify that it was he who had spoken. Have you ever seen a deep mountain spring-fed pool? The water's not really blue, nor is it quite green. The color is deep and liquid. That was the color of his eyes. I got lost in their depths. It took me a moment to remember what the question had been.

"No...no, please do," I said. My eyes dropped to the man's smiling lips, to his strong cleft chin and then to the uniform. I pulled my eyes back up before they went any further south, and looked at the officer's face again. He was handsome, maybe the most handsome man I had ever seen. I wondered what it would be like to run my tongue through the deep cleft.

"That's your machine outside?" The warm baritone voice washed over me as he sat on the next stool. I nodded, not able to speak.

"It's a real beauty. Did you buy it looking that good?"

I pulled my eyes away from his face and cleared my throat searching for my voice.

"No, I restored it." I finally got out.

"Nice job," the cop said, oblivious to the turmoil he was causing by his proximity. "You must be proud of it."

"Thanks. I am." I said and turned back to my menu. Sitting so close, I could feel his body heat. I kept my eyes on the menu even though my mind wasn't processing what I was looking at.

"If you like liver and onions this place makes the best." His shoulder nudged mine.

"Is that what you're having?" I asked, not daring to look at him.

"Absolutely, I stop here at least once a week for it. The liver is about three quarters of an inch thick, with just a little pink in the middle, and the onions are grilled to a crispy brown and not greasy."

At that moment the diminutive big breasted, blonde waitress sidled up to stand provocatively in front of him. I wondered if she would snap her gum to complete the picture.

"Hi, Charley, you having your usual." I had expected her voice to sound like fingernails on a black board with a nasal twang. It wasn't. A soft soothing modulation, almost musical, flowed out of her mouth.

"Yeah, Sal, the usual."

He grinned at her and she winked at him as I watched and then she turned to me smiling.

"And you, Hon?"

"I'll try his usual." I grinned and nodded toward the cop.

"And to drink?"

I looked at her. She wasn't chewing gum and I saw intelligence in her eyes. Must have been the pink uniform with it's short, above the knees skirt and big white collar that descended to a deep cleavage, or it might have been her hair color that made me instinctively think she would be an air head.

"Just a tall glass of ice water, thanks."

She had a nice smile. I folded the menu and placed it back in the chrome rack at the back of the counter that also held the condiments. I glanced at the cop as he scrutinized me.

I have dated a few girls and other than the affair with Jim I'd never considered getting close to another man. I'd looked at a few and wondered, but that was all. Now here was the big beautiful cop being friendly and I felt like a kid with his first crush. I knew I was just going to have to brazen this out and ignore my reaction to him. I turned and held out my hand.

"I'm Jake Shipman, Charley." I grinned and got grinned back at.

"Charley Hill, Jake."

For some reason I expected a jolt just touching his hand, but not the thousand mega-volts that went right to the center of my being. I was certain that my hair had to be standing out from my head like a cartoon character. From the look of surprise in his eyes I suspected he felt it, too. He didn't look up at my hair so it must not have done anything abnormal. He held my hand too long, but pulling it back was out of the question. I would've let him hold it all evening , but he blushed and let go.

We talked though our meal and an after dinner cup of coffee. He learned I hailed from University City and I found out he'd been born and raised here in Kirksville. We both discovered we were bachelors with no marriage prospects in sight. Sal watched us from her stool next to the cash register, interrupting only to take away the dirty dishes and bring us more coffee.

"Well, time for me to get back on duty." Charley said, rising off the stool and reaching for his wallet at the same time. I watched him over tip and matched it. He grinned at me and I could help but grin back at him.

He blushed at Sal's knowing wink as he paid his bill. I wondered what was going on with the two of them.

We wandered outside. It had gotten dark while we ate. The neon signs had come on, staining the bleached glare of the sodium light mounted a telephone pole next to the café. We watched each other put on our leather jackets. I straddled my chopper and pulled on my snug-fitting helmet and admired the way Charley's uniform pants fit when he bent over his cycle to adjust something. I couldn't tell much about his upper torso. He was wearing a bulletproof vest.

Although it was dark beyond the arc of harsh brightness, Charley put on his Ray-Bans before turning and walking up to me. I looked at my two reflections in his glasses and then at the shy smile below them.

"I'm off duty in about an hour. You want to grab a beer and just lay back awhile?"

"Sounds good." I couldn't keep the smile off my face.

"Meet me here," he looked at his watch, "in one hour and fifteen minutes."

I memorized his face."Will do." I said. I ogled Charley as he mounted his motorcycle, took off the sunglasses and stowed them inside his jacket. He waved without looking back and cruised up the street. I slumped on my cycle wishing he'd touched me again or that I'd had the courage to touch him. I realized that I hadn't thought about Jim in nearly two hours. I resented that he could intrude on this moment, but the anger had gone, replaced by a feeling of emptiness.



Charley

by JWSmith

Chapter 2 A Warning

I sighed, got off the bike, opened one of the hand-tooled leather saddle bags, took out a book and wandered back into the café. This time I chose a booth. The place was nearly empty, one couple in a booth and an old guy at the counter. I caught Sal's eye and mouthed "Coffee" and opened the book.

Moment's later she placed a mug of coffee in front of me along with a little pitcher of cream. I looked up to thank her and she smiled at me.

"So you're gonna hook up with Charley later, Hon?"

I didn't answer as I stared at her, kind of shocked at her forwardness. She shrugged.

"Hey, Charley and I grew up together. We've been friends forever. Charley's as nice a guy as you'll ever find." She sighed and said, "But unfortunately he's not my type."

I raised an eyebrow as I continued to stare at her.

"You don't like cops, Sal?" I asked.

She laughed.

"I love cops. I'd marry one in a minute if I could find one as sweet as Charley."

"So why not Charley?"

Sal sighed and stared out the window a moment and then turned back to me. "I don't think Charley is looking for a wife. I watched Charley date girls back when we were in high school. He never dated one more than three times. When he came back after he got out of the Marine Corp and I don't think he dated at all, at least not seriously. And since he joined the police....well, I don't think anyone else has noticed, but being a people watcher, I've noticed that Charley checks out each man that comes through the door and then dismisses them. He ignores the women." She stared back out the window for a few moments. "He seemed to have given up on finding a mate. Until tonight," she added as an after thought.

I nodded and nearly smiled. So she'd figured out that I was gay. Otherwise why would she be telling me this? She was also letting me know that she thought Charley was, too.

"You be good to him." She admonished. "Be honest with him. Let him know where he stands."

"How do you know I'm not just going to be just a one night stand?" I asked.

"You're a good guy, Hon, I can tell. It'll only be that way if that is what you want it to be. I know Charley. He doesn't do what he's done with you tonight. He may check out other men, but he doesn't make contact with them. You're the exception."

I looked down at my book. There was a sudden lump in my throat.

"I'm on the rebound. I'm not what he's looking for. Maybe I should just disappear." I said glancing up at her.

"Don't do that. Just be up front with him. He could use a good friend like you. And I think from the look in your eyes, you could use one, too."

She patted my hand. Her eyes held mine for a moment.

"Your coffee is cold, Hon, let me bring you another cup," she said, picking up the untouched cup and whisking it away.

I stared out the window into the black night. A cup of steaming coffee appear on the table, but she didn't interrupt my revery. I sighed kind of wishing she had. My thoughts were back on Jim. And I didn't want to think about him just then.

I stared at the opened book I'd brought in from the pouch on my motorcycle. I didn't see a word on the page as I reviewed what had brought me to this particular place at this moment in my life. I was an only child raised on a farm upstate. My parents were in their mid forties when I was born. I suppose I was loved and protected more than most kids. Growing up isolated on the farm I knew I was naive and I didn't make friends easily, even after two and a half years in the Army and three years of college. I dated girls, never finding one that really held my interest. Never had a sexual encounter with one, either. And then I ran into Jim.

Jim was different from any other guy I'd met. Nearly as tall as me but much more muscular. He'd dominated me. He'd pushed me into bodybuilding, introduced me to heavy sex and taught me nothing about love. He'd never kissed me. I wondered if he'd become a nurse as penance for not being able to love. I'd loved the sex with him, wanted to love him and be loved by him. But all he was willing to give was a great fuck. But I wanted more.

I sighed and immersed myself in the book. I was aware that Sal had come back and refilled my cup with hot coffee a couple of times, but I was so engrossed in my reading that it took me a moment to register that Charley had slid into the seat across the table. I glanced up and saw him grinning at me and couldn't help but grin back. He was dressed in jeans and a blinding white, tight tee shirt. It was plain to see that he had a muscular chest and a flat hard belly. He had a black leather biker's jacket slung over one shoulder, a finger hooked in the collar.

"You ready to go?" He asked.

I nodded and closed my book.

"Come on."

I got up and followed Charley to the door. Sal caught his eye with a warm smile. She winked at him again and he blushed. Seeing a big guy like Charley blush is delightful. I couldn't help but chuckle. He reached behind his back and poked me with a finger.

"Are you on in the morning, Sal?" Charley asked, acting casual, as if he'd never blushed in his life.

"As sure as the sunrises in the east," she answered.

"Well, then we'll see you after it's well up in the sky. Good night."

I nodded to her with a big stupid grin. She smiled and held up a warning finger. I nodded again and followed Charley out the door. I stowed my book and looked up to see Charley studying me. I smiled, but Charley's countenance remained studious.

"What?" I asked.

Charley shook his head and smiled with one side of his mouth.

" Just trying to figure things out. Let's go home."

I blinked. My heart started palpitating. I wasn't ready to go home with him. Home held many connotations. I wasn't prepared. Charley noticed I was near panicking..

"That's where the beer is," he explained.

"I thought we'd be going to a bar," I said. I wondered if he could hear the quaver I could feel in my voice.

"The only bar I'd feel comfortable in is inhabited by my buddies on the force. We couldn't talk in there. We need to talk, Jake." His tone of voice was begging me to understand and accept.

I gulped and nodded in agreement, calming down a bit. Of course, he would be out of place in most bars, he was a cop after all.

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