“Hey, Dylan.”
Dylan spun and looked up into the eyes of the Hawaiian giant. “Hey, Kimo. Sorry, I was taking in the style of this place and didn’t realize it was you behind me.” He stopped and fumbled for his wallet.
The mid-sized, portly desk clerk in his sixties sported a full head of salt and pepper hair. Diamond post earrings and a leather bracelet seemed out of place on him. Maybe he’s an old hippie. His nametag read, ‘Noah.’
The clerk flashed a smile and stood with his palms on the counter. His baritone voice filled the room. “Good afternoon. It’s okay, you fellas are welcome here.”
Dylan wondered but let the comment pass as he found his wallet.
The clerk’s eyes passed over both travelers. “May I get some ID from one of you?”
Kimo offered his along with a credit card. The clerk checked them.
“You guys going north or south?”
Dylan replied, “South. A trooper said the road is closed from a slide.”
“Yup. Pretty common this time of year. Florence is a great place to be stranded. Quiet, romantic, and good food just down the street. It’s walking distance. With the hail and snow, I don’t suggest you try to drive.” A wry smile creased his face. “Road department’s pretty good about clearing things up, but sometimes it takes a second day.” He slid a room key forward. “You got my last room. It has a nice comfy queen bed and a wood stove that works especially when the electricity goes out. There’s a good LED flashlight in there.”
The guys traded wondering glances. Dylan’s neck and head heated.
The clerk gasped. “Oh, good heaven, I thought you two boys were a couple. You walked in together, were chatting, and you sure look like you belong with each other. I’m sorry. I should have asked, but I only had one room left.”
The tiny office seemed to close in. Dylan opened his raincoat to cool himself. His mind whirled.
Kimo laughed. “Dylan can have the room. I’ll go somewhere else. He’s a tourist. I’m on business, and, besides, he pulled my car out of the ditch.” He winked at Dylan and dropped a hand on his shoulder. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. Chill, bro.”
Dylan gathered himself. “No, it’s okay. You take the room. You’re already signed up for it, and you have a work schedule. I’m on vacation with no plans.”
The clerk sighed. “I’m sorry, but there are no more rooms in town. We were discussing it on our lodgers’ chat group.”
Dylan leaned on the counter and bit his lip.
The clerk wiped his face. “We have a dilemma. Looks like you fellas just met.” He looked at Dylan. “My wife and I can put you up in our apartment here. We have a guest bedroom. No charge. It’s the least we can do for my mistake.”
“The situation is the way it would be. You didn’t cause it.” Dylan offered a weak smile.
The clerk countered. “It’ll only be for one night. Maybe you guys can share the room. You seem to get along real good. Maybe it’s cosmic, huh? You look like a couple.”
Dylan said, “I’m not gay. With that snow, it might be more than one night.”
The handsome Hawaiian blurted out, “If you’re single and rich, I can be gay.” His laugh filled the room.
The clerk smirked. “Guys, again, I’m sorry for jumping to conclusions. Our son is gay, and he’s told my wife and me of the bad welcomes he’s had at some places. I was so convinced you were together that I went overboard to make you feel at home. I’m sorry.” His face fell stern.
The big guy faced Dylan. “Bro, I’m good with sharing the room, and there’s no other option. I’ll pay with my company credit card. I have an emergency sleeping bag in my trunk. You can have the bed.”
Dylan recovered. “Yeah. That’ll work.” He gnashed his teeth.
The unyielding snow storm continued. Kimo said, “This heavy storm reminds me of being in Hawaii. I miss home but love the Oregon coast.”
They walked to their room down the hall and settled in. Dylan felt odd, but he stole glances at the sexy Hawaiian.
Kimo said, “Bro, dinner? We can walk. Not far.”
“Sure. I’m hungry.” They left the room to walk down the street.
Kimo sighed with contentment and stared up at the heavy snow, then wrapped an arm over Dylan’s shoulders as they sloshed the short distance to the café down the street. “Is my arm around you embarrassing? Hawaiians are just hang-loose types, ya know.”
“I’m cool.” Dylan turned his face up toward the still falling snow with big flakes. “So, tell me about you.”
“Born and raised in Hawaii. Big family, eight kids in all, I’m in the middle of the pack. My parents are still married to each other, real happy, and they still make noise when they make love. No childhood trauma, got laid for the first time on my eighteenth birthday, and never been to prison.” He paused, smirked, and continued. “I hope I’m going to get laid a second time before I turn thirty.”
Dylan chuckled. “Wow, all that sounds good. Personally, I’m still a virgin. I’m saving myself for marriage.” He grinned.
Kimo laughed. “You’re a real wise-ass. I like that.”
They reached the diner and got the last table for two.
The waitress approached. She seemed to be in her thirties. “Welcome, gentlemen. We’re packed tonight because of the storm, but I called in another cook, so it shouldn’t be too long. May I start you with a beverage?”
Dylan said, “May I have a rum and coke?”
She nodded.
Kimo said, “Hawaiian beer, please.”
“Okay. Be right back.”
Kimo said, “You really have Hawaiian beer?”
“Of course. It’s just over there to the west.” She smiled and left.
Kimo said, “She’s sexy for an older woman.”
Dylan laughed. “Yeah, she’s about six years older than you.”
Their drinks came, followed by a second round. They chatted and soon were like old friends.
Kimo asked, “So, no ring on your wedding finger. Who you dating?”
“No one right now. I’m in between.”
“Damn, bro, me, too. That’s wrong. Two sexy dudes like us? We should be getting laid every day.”
“Yeah.”
Their meals arrived, and they ate.
Kimo said, “Bro, that pork roast looks good. Can I sample?”
“Sure.”
Kimo tasted. “Wow, that is good. You want some of my chicken Marsala?”
“Sure. I’ve never had it.” Dylan tasted while keeping his eyes on Kimo. His cock got half hard. “Wow, that’s good.”
Kimo said, “Wanna switch plates? I’m clean, I mean I have no diseases.”
It took Dylan by surprise. He handed his plate over and took Kimo’s. They ate and ordered dessert to go, but had a third drink. Dylan felt it and was happy.
They walked back to the motel with the wind howling and snow accumulating. Kimo held his arm around Dylan’s shoulder again, and it felt good there. There was little traffic on the road as the snow accumulated.
Kimo said, “Snow is very unusual for the Oregon coast. Snow this hard is like once every fifty or a hundred years, but it’s nice. I like it. It’s romantic.”
“We rarely get snow in San Jose, and when we do, it never sticks, but, yeah, I like it.” Dylan’s cock hardened. “You’re right. It’s romantic.”
The put their desserts in the tiny refrigerator in their room. Then they stood there and stared at each other.
Kimo said, “Want to go walk some more in the snow?” His warm smile made Dylan feel comfortable. And horny.
“Yeah, sounds good.”
They raced out the door and pushed each other like old buddies.
“So, Kimo, what kind of work you do?”
“I service and repair office equipment. Copiers, fax machines, phones. I get to travel most of the coast and sometimes inland. I’m a vagabond. Don’t like being tied down. The pay is good.” They forged ahead into the heavy wind, and Kimo hooked an arm with Dylan. Kimo said, “Can’t let you get blown away. You’re sort of smaller.”
Dylan asked, “You have any girlfriends, wives, boyfriends, kids, or animals?”
“None of that. Can’t keep a girlfriend more than a few months. I’m such a great guy, they want to get serious, make me change jobs, and stay close to them.” He shook his head. “Not for me. How about you? I need someone special to stay in one town. You have any of those things you asked? Boyfriend or girlfriend.” Kimo pulled Dylan closer as the high winds and heavy snow whipped them. “Got to keep you from blowing away.”
Dylan shook his head, and his face went flat. “None for me, either. I haven’t been great company lately. I’ve been depressed for two years, after my best friend Arthur died in a crash.” He shook his head. “It was a God-awful crash. I was in the car with him. It took the fire department thirty minutes to cut us out. Arthur died in my arms.” He looked up and tried to smile. “I’m coming out of it. I promised myself that tomorrow, my birthday, I’m starting a new era. I’ve been talking to a counselor.”
Kimo pulled him close and slipped on the grassy knoll. He tumbled, taking Dylan with him. They laughed until finding the sidewalk below. Coming to their feet, they cackled at the snow and wind.
Kimo said, “This snow is amazing. I love it.” He wrapped his arm around Dylan again. “Dylan, want to smoke a joint? I got one right here.”
Dylan turned serious. “No, thanks. I don’t smoke that stuff.”