...Feeling a bit cramped from sitting on the hard ground, Brad stretched out his legs and leaned back on his arms. “So where do you plan on going from here?”

Davie shrugged. “A farm a couple of miles back wanted fruit pickers, but by the time I got there, they already had enough. The guy in charge said there’s another place a few miles farther on along this road where they might need someone, but he didn’t know for sure. Anyway, I figure it won’t hurt to give it a try.”

“I’ll be leaving early tomorrow morning, so I can save you the walk if you’d like.”

“Thanks.” Davie smiled. “I’d really appreciate that.”

“Fire’s almost out, so we’d better get to bed.” Brad said. “You feeling sleepy?”

“Not particularly. Despite what that forecaster of yours said, it’s a nice warm night, and it feels good, just sitting here and talking with you like this.”

“Yeah, me, too. You’re great company, kid.”

“I keep telling you, I’m not a kid. I’m a man. But since you don’t believe me, maybe I’d better show you.” Davie reached out a hand and laid it lightly against the front of Brad’s jeans. When Brad made like he hadn’t noticed, Davie began to stroke Brad’s cock and gradually increase the pressure.

Embarrassed by the thought Davie might think he “owed” him for dinner, yet unsure how to stop what was happening without hurting Davie’s feelings, Brad tensed his muscles and held his breath. Trying to ignore what Davie was doing was useless. No power on earth could stop him from getting hard or wanting what nature intended should happen next. But he did not have to take advantage of a man whose lifelong pattern of abuse made him think it was normal and expected. To just keep silent and accept what Davie was offering without a word would put him in the same bag as Davie’s father and all the other abusers who’d just taken and taken, and no way would Brad do that.

He stilled the stroking by wrapping a hand around Davie’s wrist. “You don’t have to do this.”

“You mean you don’t want me to?”

“I do, but—”

“Why not?” Davie sounded confused. “You were nice to me, sharing your dinner, and I’m just trying to be nice back. We’re grown men with men’s needs. What’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing, it’s…” As Davie said, they were grown men with men’s needs, except Brad had been so busy wallowing in his grief and his pain, he hadn’t realized until now quite how much he needed what Davie was offering. He actually needed the physical closeness and comfort of another man, along with the warmth and reassurance of knowing someone cared, even if it lasted for only a few minutes. “I just don’t want you to think I expect something in return for a couple of lousy bits of chicken because I don’t. From what you’ve told me, your life has been full of users and abusers, and I have no interest in joining the list, okay? That’s not the kind of man I am.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“Good. That’s understood then.” To Brad’s surprise, as he released his grip on Davie’s wrist, Davie resumed the stroking.

“This has nothing to do with the people I told you about,” Davie murmured softly, “This is because I want to and for no other reason.”

“But I can’t let you—”

“Yes, you can.” Davie drew down Brad’s zipper and slipped his hand inside. “Can’t we be nice to one another without making a big deal about it? Call it my way of saying thanks for dinner, if it makes you feel better.”

“You mean like bringing a bottle of wine, or sending flowers the next day as a thank you?”

“I guess.”

“I wasn’t expecting anything. Certainly not this.”

“I know that. All the more reason why you should just go with the flow and enjoy.”