Perfect Freedom (51 page)

As he approached, he could see that he wasn't going to be saved by blemishes. Like his head, Jeff's body was a luxury product, as polished and gleaming and groomed as a racehorse. It wasn't muscular but smoothly knit with a voluptuously fluid line. He could see no excess flesh anywhere on it yet it made a richly opulent impression. He had a heavy gold chain around his neck. Robbie had never seen a man wearing a necklace; it accented the opulence. His hand knew the feel of the bulge contained in his trunks.

Jeff looked up as he crossed the sand toward his mother and their eyes met once more. Jeff's took masterful possession of him; as far as he was concerned, Robbie was his. Robbie tore his eyes away and spotted Jeff's wife farther along the beach talking to one of their neighbors called George Petit. He saw that everybody had drinks as if they were going to stay awhile. Why did a married man get started on a thing like this? It was maddening. He wished Jeff would take his wife and go.

He dropped down beside his mother. She greeted him with a cry of delight. “Oh darling. It's been so exciting,” she exclaimed. “M. Picasso was very impressed. I heard him talking to the others. He said to me, ‘Your son may be one of the elect. See that he works.' Aren't you thrilled?”

“I'll say.” He bubbled with proud laughter. “Do you remember how we used to sit on the beach while I made messes with watercolors? You should've kept those things. We could send them to the Louvre.”

“Don't be silly, dearest. Of course I kept them. Every one.”

“Did you know I was a genius even then? What a clever lady.” They put their arms out to each other and kissed and sat back laughing.

“Now that you're a distinguished painter, I suppose I'll have to stop asking you to run errands. Would you mind terribly running up and telling Boldoni we'll be eleven for dinner? The Petits and Jeff and Betty Benjamin are staying.”

Robbie tried not to let anything show in his face. He made his smile brighter. “When Picasso told you to make me work, I'm sure he didn't mean helping around the house. Okay. Just this once.” He kissed her again and hugged her and stood.

He was careful not to let his eyes stray to Jeff as he left. The siege was going to last all evening. He found everybody in the kitchen excited about the great man's visit. He had to tell them all about it. Boldoni went off to his quarters and returned with a small smudged framed portrait of himself. Robbie had signed it in the corner.

“It was done by one of my distinguished clients,” Boldoni said solemnly.

They all laughed and passed the little watercolor around and praised Robbie's childish effort. He was touched that Boldoni had kept it. He left them all gathered around it and was headed back for the steps down to the beach when he caught sight of Jeff standing uncertainly in the archway leading to the drive. He was carrying clothes over an arm. Jeff made it impossible to avoid him by calling Robbie's name. Robbie's muscles tensed as he reminded himself of all that was at stake with Toni and renewed his vow. He couldn't help the flutter of excitement in the pit of his stomach. He turned and made a little show of seeing Jeff for the first time and went over to him.

“You're a hard guy to corner,” Jeff said with the glint of conquest in his eye. “You ran out on me last night. Why?”

Robbie started to pretend that he didn't know what he was talking about but realized that his having felt his cock made it difficult to assume an air of innocence. “What did you expect? I was with my parents.”

“It's probably just as well. I wasn't organized. Your mother said she thought you were up here somewhere. She said to ask you to show me a room where I can change.”

Jeff obviously thought he was organized now. Robbie resented his assuming that he had won. Feeling his cock wasn't the same as making love to him. “You could have done that down there,” he pointed out, preparing to turn him down.

“So it seems, but I told your mother I wanted to soak in a tub. Some nerve. My wife's gone back to the hotel. She'll be at least an hour fixing herself up. We're all set. Your mother said I could wear what I came in.”

“I see. Well, come on.” He started for the inner court with Jeff at his side. He couldn't refuse to show him a room. He was momentarily trapped but he would find a chance to escape.

“This is a stunning place,” his companion said. “The port's pretty wild, isn't it? A boy with your looks must have quite a time here.”

“I don't go out much. I mean, we mostly go to people's houses.”

“Luckily for me. I've been waiting to tell you that you've got the sexiest ass I've ever seen in my life.”

“You're sexy all over,” he said. He could acknowledge what was going on without giving in. “You know I think that. The trouble is—”

“We understand each other beautifully. We won't have any trouble.”

“Yes, but you see—”

“I see, all right. You want my cock. It's very flattering with a kid half my age.”

“I'm very attracted to you. I admit it. It's just that there's somebody else. I don't—”

“Denying yourself at your age? That's a bit premature, isn't it?”

“I'm not sure. These are the rooms. They're all about the same. You might as well take this one.” He opened a door and stood back. Jeff gripped his arm firmly and pushed him through. He moved him out of the way and closed the door and locked it and stood in front of it, barring the exit. Robbie was sure he hadn't wanted it but here he was. A scuffle in the courtyard would have been ridiculous. Jeff's eyes were intent and purposeful.

“We're in luck. I don't think anybody saw us. Well, do we or don't we?”

Robbie attempted a last stand but his will had crumbled. He was here. It was exciting. “I shouldn't. I—”

“That was a rhetorical question,” Jeff said sharply. “Take that thing off. I want to see you with a hard on.” He tossed the clothes and the toilet case he was carrying onto the bed.

Robbie felt the compulsion of their shared hunger. Only a man who was determined to have him could stir him to a complete awareness of himself. There was so much in him that nobody had yet touched. He was trembling with excitement and had some difficulty disentangling his erection from his trunks while Jeff watched. He straightened and stood naked in front of him. Jeff took a long look.

“That's quite a cock,” he said. “You're an anatomical masterpiece.” He hooked his thumbs into his trunks and peeled them off. His erection swung out toward Robbie. Robbie stared. It was just enough bigger than his own to inspire awe of its phallic majesty. He couldn't ignore its command. He dropped down and ran his tongue along it and watched it lift majestically. He opened his mouth for it and offered it his obeisance.

“You really know how to suck cock,” Jeff murmured after a moment. He gripped his hair and made several slow deep thrusts. “Do you want me to come like this?”

Robbie shook his hands off and released him and sprang up. “No. Take my sexy ass. Your cock gives me goose bumps. I want it inside me.” They reached for each other and their mouths opened for a wrenching, writhing kiss. Jeff's luxurious body was more powerful than it looked. They broke apart, breathing heavily.

“We don't want to wreck the bed,” Jeff said. He grabbed his toilet case and they hurried each other into the bathroom while he unsnapped it and took out a tube. They sank down onto the bath mat, grappling with each other. Their coupling was athletic and unrestrained. Robbie cried out once, “Oh God, it's good,” as he was filled and possessed once more. Need incited need. He battled to release his darkest yearnings. His craving to deliver himself completely was deeper and more imperative than he'd realized. He didn't see how he could go without it again for so long.

When it was over they lay panting on the floor together until Jeff withdrew slowly and leaped up and went to the shower. Robbie struggled up and washed himself on the bidet. He was drying himself when the shower curtain was pushed back and Jeff reappeared, as sleek and glistening as a seal. Robbie looked at the handsome stranger, incredulous that their bodies had been joined in passionate possession and surrender. With his hair in disarray, he looked more vulnerable, younger, less unattainably worldly. He didn't know why he'd thought he could resist him. Jeff looked at him with unsatisfied lust in his eyes.

“That was the best ever,” he said. “You're sensational.”

“Do you want it again?” Robbie asked, approaching and handing him a towel.

“That goes without saying. My wife drinks, God bless her. We'll manage.” He began to dry himself slowly, eying Robbie's body.

“If you like boys, why're you married?”

“One doesn't necessarily exclude the other. She's rich, for one thing. I can hardly marry a rich boy, worse luck. Look at me. I've fallen for a boy who's young enough to be my son. What would I do if I
weren't
married?”

“How old do you think I am?”

“No more than twenty? Having children at fifteen is unusual but it's possible. Last night, I told myself to go slow but I knew I was going to have you. All the organization was worth it.”

“Organization?”

“Why do you think we're here? I made the big boss change his plans so I could come here with him. I gave my wife the idea that she wanted to go back to the hotel. I let your mother think I was a bit pushy by asking for a room. I knew I'd find you waiting somewhere.”

“That was an accident. I didn't want it to happen.”

“Of course you did. You still do. Are you thinking about the famous Toni? I've heard. Isn't it good in the hay?”

“Not really. He likes girls. I'm in love with him.”

“I could make you forget him. If we were in New York, I'd take you on permanently.” They dropped their towels over the side of the tub and moved in against each other, their hands roaming to re-create the ecstasy they had offered each other. Their tongues played together. Their cocks stirred and lengthened. It was turning into something more important than Robbie had bargained for. A man wanted him; love had blinded him to how much he needed it. He wanted to give himself in some unimaginable way so that there wasn't any part of himself that hadn't been possessed. Jeff drew back and lifted his hands to his face and caressed it with his fingertips.

“You're incredibly beautiful. I guess we can risk another half hour. What does a wife do if she finds her husband in bed with a boy? Probably screams her head off and then laughs at him for the rest of his life. Will anybody wonder where you are?”

“They'll think I've gone back to the house. Your wife doesn't know about you?”

“Nothing specific. We'll try to keep it that way.” He pulled a fresh towel from the rack and picked up the tube of lubricant. “We might as well go to bed. Your mother will think I had a nap and never allow me in the house again.” He put an arm around him and led him back to the bedroom. “Your work's good, you know. The big boss wouldn't've said so if he hadn't meant it. When you get around to showing, you'll get in touch with me and we'll do business together.”

“That won't be for a long time. You'll have forgotten me by then.”

“I might forget a painter but I'm not likely to forget the sexiest boy I've ever known.” He pulled the cover off the bed and spread out the towel and they lay in each other's arms, their erections hard against each other again. “I'm going to give your cock some of the attention it deserves.” He began to move his mouth down over him.

“I want you to fuck me again.”

“That, too. If you were mine, I'd suck you off at least twenty times a day and fuck you as often as I could get it up.”

“Are you as crazy about sucking cock as I am?”

Jeff held Robbie's upright and kissed it. “I'll show you.”

Robbie whimpered ecstatically. “I'm going to come,” he gasped. Jeff nodded and applied lubricant to him while he received his ejaculation. Their bodies slid around and fitted in against each other intricately and thrillingly and Jeff entered him. “Oh God, yes. Take me,” Robbie cried.

“Is my cock good, honey?”

“Sublime. Oh yes. Take me with it. Let me give myself to your big cock. I'd like it there all night.”

“We'll see what we can do about that.”

Robbie slipped back to his house to change for dinner. He didn't encounter anybody but he wasn't particularly worried about that; nobody would suspect what had happened. Thinking of Toni, he was sad and ashamed that he had been able to forget him for so long. It was more regret than guilt. Toni didn't want him. He wanted him to have girls. Robbie knew that his needs were too deeply fixed in him to change. Whether Toni believed it or not, he was a homosexual. He needed a man to love him, or at least to make love to him. Nothing had happened with Jeff that could equal the happiness of one minute with Toni but the passion they could generate together was electrifying. The only way he could atone for his broken promise was to refuse Jeff later, but he would be ready for the twelfth man. There would always be another until he found out everything he could know about himself.

Jeff's wife returned for cocktails. After dinner, everybody wandered around the terrace drinking brandy and talking in shifting combinations. Jeff found a moment for a private exchange with Robbie.

“My cock's very ready for you,” he said. “Betty's riding high. A few more brandies and a sleeping pill should do the trick. I'll forget my toilet case in the room and come back for it. Wait around for me. I'll allow time for the others to go. Hilda and Alex are about to call it a night.”

“No, we mustn't,” Robbie protested in an undertone. “I've thought about it. It's too dangerous. What if somebody saw you!”

Jeff's smile remained confident and possessive. “You're in experienced hands. I won't do anything to compromise us. I have to protect myself too, you know. Just follow my lead and don't worry.” He was perched on the balustrade and shifted his legs to reveal the long thick ridge of his cock. “Think of that in you.”