Chapter one

Robert "Robbie" Ross came down the stairway of the small Bed and Breakfast and checked his watch. It was dark in the lobby and he wondered if he was too early. A small green lamp lit up the clerk's desk. He paused and looked into the empty dining room where only a few night lights shined. He was too early. "Damn..." he said under his breath. As he finished the words a door behind the desk opened and Nancy, the daughter of the proprietor, stepped through holding a cup of coffee.

"Oh ...," she said and smiled broadly, "up early I see." Rob smiled back at her. "I couldn't sleep - it's such a beautiful morning. Is it possible to get breakfast or maybe some coffee?" She lowered her cup to the counter. "Yes, of course," she said.

Nancy walked into the dining room and to the front windows, opened all the shutters flooding much of the dining room with morning sunlight. Rob moved to one of the window booths and slipped into the comfortable seat. She followed and put down two paper place-mats with plates and silverware then walked to the back of the room and through the door to the kitchen. Seconds later she returned with fresh coffee in a cup with saucer and placed them down in front of Rob. She pulled two menus from under her arm and handed one to Rob and placed the other across from him.

"I could enjoy a good breakfast ..." he said opening the menu and viewing the list of breakfast dishes. Nancy stepped to the waitresses station and returned with pad and pencil. "What will you have?" she asked holding her pencil at the ready. Rob pointed to the third breakfast offering of ham and eggs. As he did so a taxi pulled into the driveway of the Inn. A man, tall, gray and handsome stepped out, paid the driver and carried a suitcase and small black bag through the Inn door and into the lobby. Nancy looked up at the new arrival and smiled. She jotted down Rob's order, ripped it off the pad, thanked him and walked back toward the kitchen doors. "I'll be right with you," she said on her way through the door to the gentleman. He nodded and smiled and looked over the dining room stopping at Rob. Both men gazed at each other for a lingering moment. The man smiled and Rob nodded then looked away because his chest did a double skip. He took in a deep breath and wondered if he was being cruised or just observed.

Nancy returned to the room and headed back to the lobby and stepped behind the counter. "I hope you're here to see someone," she said and the man looked at her quizzically. "Can I get a room, say for a week or so?" he asked and Nancy quickly shook her head. "I'm sorry, we're booked solid. This is a big month for us here in Devonshire. It's our Annual Spring Flower Fair - and we fill up quickly. Rob sat listening and sipping at the hot coffee. "That's not good. Is there anywhere ..." and Nancy shook her head. "A back room maybe?" he chimed but Nancy stood firm. "Really, we have nothing open. You could try Yeltsville about ten miles back but I'm sure they are full up too. A reservation is a must this time of year." The man looked lost. "I ... I didn't know it was going to be this hard. My brother lives a few miles up the road but he and his wife have gone off on a month's holiday and had no idea I was coming..." he explained.

Rob pushed himself out of the booth and walked toward the lobby. "If you don't mind sharing you can bunk with me in my room. I have a large corner room." Nancy looked at Rob and he wasn't sure if he should have offered. "It's alright, isn't it Nancy?" and the man looked from Rob to Nancy. "Well, I'll have to charge you for a double," she said. "I'll be happy to pay the additional charge," said the man. "Then it's settled. We'll share a room," Rob said walking to the man and extending his hand. "Rob. Robert Ross actually." "Thank you, thank you very much ... Aaron Jaspers, Dr. Aaron Jaspers," said the stranger. The two men shook hands and Rob invited him over to the table for some breakfast. Dr. Jaspers went to pick up his medical bag and suitcase and Nancy said they were fine where they were. "Please have some breakfast," she said.

As the two men settled in and waited for their breakfast to be served Rob explained his purpose for visiting at the Inn. "An old college buddy, well, a rich old college buddy, has an estate not far from here and asked me to provide a few designs for a memorial garden on the estate. I'm an architect, a landscaper and horticulturist rolled into one. I have a business down in Levington," he explained. "I'll probably only be here for two or three days but I've booked the room for a week. It's yours if you want," he added. "Thank you, I'll take you up on that, and please, call me Jasper". Rob took him to be about 35 or so even though his thick head of prematurely gray hair might make him older. His skin was taught and young looking, his blue eyes were very bright blue and his smile of straight white teeth were well cared for. Rob found him very sexy. Jasper had pulled off his overcoat and then his black suit jacket to reveal a light blue shirt that made his eyes seem even bluer. As he removed the jacket Rob mentally measured his chest and arms through the starched cotton cloth and wondered what it would be like to run his hand over his bare chest. There was something about Dr. Jaspers that was exciting.

Nancy arrived with two plates laden with food. Dr. Jasper reached up and as he did so Rob noticed for the first time a wedding band on his finger. He was disappointed. "Damn," he thought to himself. The "share my room" thing came pretty easily and he hoped the man might be gay. Then he thought about his short stay and figured he could restrain himself that long. At least he'd get to sleep next to the guy. "Watch him wear flannel pajamas and want to sleep in a chair," he thought and smiled to himself. "Just my luck."

The conversation between the two men continued. Dr. Jasper told Rob of his two sons, one was twenty-five and a constable in Shiresfield while the other, "younger boy" as Dr. Jasper referred to him, was engaged and in his second year of medical school. "Wants to follow in his father's footsteps," he said proudly. I'm here because my wife threw me out after twenty-two years of marriage. I should have called my brother first before taking the liberty to just show up but I figured he'd understand. He's on his fourth marriage. When I got to his home and couldn't get in the cab driver suggested this place.

Rob also learned that Dr. Aaron Jaspers was a heart surgeon but hadn't practiced in four years. He didn't say why but added that he had been providing his medical assistance to the Evanston Forensic Institute but left that job the week before. "I knew my wife was having an affair. She'd done it before and we always got back together but not this time. I'm through this time. At last" he gave a slight sigh. Rob really didn't know what to say. He had been through break-ups before. "If the boys were younger I'd probably bear with it but they have their own lives now and I want mine back."

After breakfast Dr. Jaspers offered to pay for the meal but Rob signed the check so it would be billed to the room. They finished their coffees and left the table as the dining room was beginning to fill with other guests. Nancy had returned to her desk clerk duties and Cherry, a middle-aged French waitress, arrived through the kitchen door and was soon taking orders.

Rob reached for Dr. Jasper's suitcase but Jasper wouldn't hear of it. They climbed the slim staircase, one behind the other, and with his new key in hand, Dr. Jaspers unlocked the door to Room 10. The room was large and airy, the windows faced the east and the morning sun now armed the area. Dr. Jaspers placed his suitcase on the rack at the end of the bed, next to Rob's suitcase with his medical bag on top of it. He dropped his coat and jacket on the bags and looked around the room. "This is nice, you really don't mind sharing?" Rob shook his head. "I'm happy to have you. The place is too big for me. He looked over at the large full sized bed. "Only one bed though." "I don't mind if you don't" said Dr. Jasper. Jasper placed his hand on the mattress and pumped it several times and smiled. "I love a soft bed, a good place to sleep," he said laughing a bit. Rob smiled back. A silence fell upon them and Jasper walked to the window to look out over the countryside view.

"Well..." Rob said, his hands stuffed in his jean pockets, "I ahh... I promised to be out at the estate by nine this morning. Why don't you go with me?" he offered. Jasper turned around and slipped his hands into his own pants pockets. At six feet tall with the sun streaming behind him he was quite handsome. "You don't want me tagging along," he began, "Yeah I do. I really don't want to go there alone. I haven't seen the guy in ten years. We roomed together at college and had a falling out. You'll be doing me a favor. You're a doctor and that might be helpful. That garden he wants me to create is for his own memorial and he wants his ashes interned there. Kind of gruesome if you ask me but the fee is well worth it. He is dying from a heart condition. Maybe if you're there you can give me an idea of how much time I may have to complete the project." Rob sat down on the bed having got all that out. Dr. Jasper stood there quietly. "Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. Sure, I'll go. What else have I got to do?" Rob looked relieved nodded his approval. "Great!" "Am I overdressed?" Jasper asked speaking of his suit and tie attire.

Rob was wearing a pair of Levi's, a clean blue T-shirt, a light tan jacket and a pair of brown suede casual shoes. "If you're comfortable I'm comfortable," said Rob grinning. "Well I'm not. Let me change - it'll take a few minutes, that's all," and with that Dr. Jaspers moved his coat off his luggage and on to the bed. He opened his suitcase and pulled out a pair of tennis shoes, khaki pants and a white T-shirt then sat down on a chair and took off his shoes. Rob sat quietly watching. Dr. Jaspers stood up and unbuckled his belt and stepped out of the black slacks and tossed them over the back of another chair. He then pulled off the tie and unbuttoned the starched blue shirt and flipped it off over his shoulders and then off his arms. He stood there in just a pair of white briefs sporting a nice chiseled hairy chest that ran a trail of dark brown hair down to his belly button and into the shorts. He obviously worked out. His arms were muscled and he had no love handles to speak of. Rob caught a quick look at the outline of his genitals then looked away. There was a nice round package there. Dr. Jaspers smiled and pulled his arms up into a muscular pose with a big smile on his face. "Huh?" he said proud of himself. Rob looked back and took in his body again. "You look great." Rob said "The blue dress shirt with the Khaki's would look good." Dr. Jaspers slipped the Khakis on but waited to button them until he slipped the blue dress shirt back on. A few minutes later he was redressed and they walked out of the room more like old friends rather then new acquaintances.

When they got down to Rob's little black convertible sports car Dr. Jaspers whistled. "You know how to drive a stick?" Rob asked and Jasper nodded. Rob tossed the keys to him. "Good. Why don't you drive."

The two men pulled out of the Inn's parking lot and onto the old country road. As the wind flew passed them Rob thought of Jasper standing before him back in the room wearing just the pair of white briefs. It was a great memory. But the wedding ring bothered him. Jasper was a straight heterosexual man, married with two grown sons. "Damn," he said. "Forget something?" Jasper asked and eased back on the gas peddle. "No, no... just damn.." he said and they drove on.