Free Autumn Fire by Cameron D. James Page B

He looked like an average Joe. He could pass as straight.
    Dustin shrugged into his jacket and walked across the chilly campus. His breath frosted in the frigid air, cloaking him, disguising him.
    He beat Stefanie to the pub, so Dustin took a booth in a dim corner and ordered a beer. Rock music piped through the sound system and mixed with the noisy crowd of frat boys and sorority girls. Looking around, it seemed everyone paired off in happy heterosexual couples. Dustin could be one of those people.
    Dustin downed his beer and signaled the waitress for another. The buzz of alcohol might help him get through this date. He finished almost half the drink when Stefenie walked in.
    She smiled as she approached. Dustin stood, slightly wobbly, and extended his hand.
    “Good to see you again.” Her warm grip locked in with his. He sat, glad to be off his feet.
    “You, too.” She pushed her purse into the corner of the booth and slid in across from him.
    As a lightness began to envelop his brain, Dustin realized the lack of a proper meal meant the alcohol affected him worse than normal. Still, he took another mouthful of beer. It made it all easier.
    “How have you been?” she asked after ordering a cosmopolitan.
    “All right, I guess. And you?” He sat up straighter, determined to make a good impression.
    He watched as she recounted her week. Stefenie was beautiful. Dustin didn't have to be straight to notice the way her light brown top clung in all the right places, accenting the curve of her full breasts, with a plunging neckline teasing at the gloriousness beneath.
    Something stirred deep within Dustin. Though he considered himself gay, he sometimes appreciated the female form. His mind wandered into dark places, wondering what she might look like sprawled out naked on his bed, writhing underneath him as he thrust his dick in and out of her. His cock became unexpectedly hard—women who made him horny were few and far between. The logical-rational part of his brain, though dulled with alcohol, wondered if he was truly turned on or if this was more a matter of him looking for any port in the storm.
    He didn't care. Right now, Dustin wanted to hold Stefenie, to kiss her, to feel her firm breasts against his chest.
    The waitress returned with Stefenie’s drink and Dustin got a third beer. Their conversation continued pleasantly, ranging from movies to books to courses and to the professors they hated.
    Angela’s voice came unbidden out of his memories. “Don’t let that spark form.” He muffled it.
    After a pleasant conversation, he noticed Stefenie’s cosmo had long been drained. His glass sat empty empty on its coaster, too.
    “Do you want to go for a walk?” he asked.
    She smiled and stood. “I would love to.”
    They put on their jackets and emerged into the cold November night. Dustin led them through the center of the campus grounds to a large garden. Dead blooms trimmed back, the plants readied for the cold Canadian winter, with only a few leaves remaining in the frost, which outlined everything in crystalline white fuzz.
    The buzz of alcohol still rang through Dustin’s head. It made him feel looser, more comfortable.
    “Call me crazy,” he said, “but I’ve always been a lover of fall and winter.”
    “Loving winter's not crazy,” she replied, inching closer as they meandered. “The colder weather encourages closeness, sharing warmth and togetherness.” She slipped a hand through his arm, pulling herself closer.
    Dustin could smell her perfume, a sweet aroma with hints of vanilla. He followed his instincts and urges, pulling his hand out of his pocket and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. She let out a wordless sound of comfort.
    “There's a bench over there.” He nodded toward it. The bench sat underneath a dim light, casting a romantic glow over the area.
    They sat and she rested her head on his shoulder. Dustin absently rubbed her arm. This was the most romantic situation he’d ever found