Kegs and Dorms

From Another Believer By Stephanie Vaughan

“Is this seat taken?”

David looked up and had to make a conscious effort to close his mouth.

“Uh, no. Go ahead.”

Shifting his feet, David shoved his backpack further beneath his seat and pulled his elbows in to make room.

“Thanks.” Little ripples of pleasure fluttered down David’s back upon hearing the smooth baritone, and maybe the cutest guy he'd ever seen sat down, tucking a well-worn duffel between his feet.

“No problem.” Trying not to be obvious, David cast a quick glance beneath his lashes at the long legs and muscular thighs settling in next to him. Late August in Southern California meant that daytime temperatures were in the eighties and nineties, and shorts were still the order of the day for most people.

The legs now stretched out beside him were lean and tanned, with a light dusting of reddish-blond hair. David tried not to gawk. He’d admired the view from behind earlier in the train station, casting admiring glances and doing his best to be discreet, even going so far as to offer up a brief plea to the universe that the tall man with the seriously hot bod would be on his train. He wouldn’t have had the hubris to ask that said cute guy would sit next to him. That would use up a year’s worth of good luck, and there was still the dorm and roommate lottery to get through.

The train was already moving, pulling out of Union Station and into the hazy sunshine that was L.A. in the fall. Forcing himself to look away, David tried to focus on the scenery, such as it was, and away from maybe the hottest guy he’d ever seen, let alone rubbed forearms with. The empty vista formed by the cement channel of the Los Angeles River, even with its colorful graffiti and eye-catching collection of debris, was no match for the nicely muscled arm that now rested near David’s. Not even close.

David’s overactive imagination had no trouble supplying him with scenarios for what he’d like that very attractive forearm to do, beginning with slipping down over David’s thigh and stroking firmly up and down his inseam a few times before cupping his crotch.

Aw, man.