The Contract - Part 1

James Parsons hurried to get to his office after he finished his daily lunch. James was a light eater but he was trying to eat better per several nutrition books he had purchased over the years. He was fastidious about being on time and was one of the most punctual workers at the firm he was employed by. He was an up and comer and definitely scored points with every week, but only through his intense diligence. He enjoyed being clean, orderly, and well organized.

"Parsons! Into my office!" It was his boss, Mr. Langston.

James stepped in and sat down. His boss, an older and intimidating man with a constant scowl on his face, stripped his employee down verbally on a rather constant basis.

"You want to explain to me why you're late?"

"I'm usually early, sir."

"I don't pay you to be late, ever. Now I know you have improved over the last few months but honestly I am not impressed and you are replaceable."

"But sir, I-"

"But sir, nothing. Just do what I say. Make sure the Primo account is handled efficiently and make sure she's happy with our analysis because she hasn't been. I got a phonecall from her and I caught you daydreaming the same day."

"No, I wasn't. I mean. I was but ...I was thinking of ways to improve how we can do things. And I was thinking about the indexing for-"

"Just stop babbling. Ms. Primo is coming in next month,and by that time I expect her and every other client that walks through out doors to be wowed. I want them to say "wow" when they leave because we are experts and not some podunk little shithole. Are we a gas station?"

"No, sir."

"Are smiles good enough?"

"No, sir."

"What is good enough, Parsons?"

"Um, well, results, sir."

"RESULTS. Yes, results. Now get out there and get me results. You're meeting with Rick and Sebastian and they are going to lead the charge with the Nguyen account and you will back them up with data and try not to screw it up."

James' boss did not always appreciate the vast amounts of work he actually did. But he really did not do a good job of standing up for himself. Luckily he was still in line for promotion because other senior managers had taken notice of him before but it was just a matter of being seen outside his department and that took work.

But as hard as James worked, he was still fairly lonely. He didn't have a lot of time to pursue many interests outside of work. He often worked at home. He never really went out to clubs. He was gay and fairly quiet about it. No one at work knew and he liked to keep it that way so he could appear, well, more appealing as an employee to the senior managers, all of whom were highly influential, wealthy and very conservative. He did try to keep fit and while he didn't work out as much as he wanted to he managed to maintain his physique, and he liked to show off at home in front of the mirror, at the very least.

He was proud of his dick and flirted online quite a bit but due to his more cautious nature he did not often hook up. It had been over two years since his last fling. He jerked off nightly to porn on various websites, and fantasized about being in romantic relationships, falling in love and going on strolls in the park, the beach, hiking in the mountains with his imaginary partner, who nurtured all of his needs.

Eventually he bought a fixer upper of a home. It wasn't too bad but definitely required renovation. He got a good deal on it due to the fact that it had a ridiculous reputation for being unlivable. The previous owners had been involved in Wicca, which is very tame in comparison to the media's perception of it, mainly just a bunch of women making soap and smelling lavender and making made up incantations that did nothing. It was just silly make believe. However, this was a rather nice neighborhood and a crime had taken place. People talked about it for a while after. And although the previous owners didn't practice Satanism, there were some other strange things they did believe. They conducted night ceremonies in their spacious back yard and chanted and buried strange stick sculptures. Neighbors said it was unnerving and complained even thought hey weren't hurting anyone. But the real shit hit the fan on the day of the Homecoming dance. One teenage boy had stabbed another, apparently out of jealousy and according to witnesses had screamed something about the much bigger boy in question taking everything from him. It brought up issues of bullying in the school and the owners, whose teenage girl had been friends with both boys, decided to pack it up and leave.

James put an ad up on craigslist and no one seemed to have the references or background he was really hoping for. He called some over the phone and didn't seem really satisfied with their responses. That is until Buck answered. Buck Handley (a porn name if ever there was one) was a local handyman of 20 years and he came with a slew of good recommendations. James decided to meet with him for lunch. Right away he felt his dick slide out of his underwear and get hard. Luckily he was at a restaurant table and able to hide his erection. Buck was blue collar all the way. He was what James considered to be his polar opposite in many ways. James hated sports and Buck loved talking about them. James liked wine. Buck liked beer. Buck didn't mind a big pancake breakfast full of carbs. He had tattoos. He reeked of masculine bravado. He was confident in himself and even though they didn't have a lot in common, once they started talking about the house and what James was thinking of doing, Buck and he started to click.

Outside, Buck lit up a cigar and James momentarily flinched. He didn't want to be rude but Buck had just given him a much lower estimate than he expected. Buck was currently living in a motel and was wondering if for a reduced rate James could throw in a free place to stay for the time being that he was working as a contractor. He had made a verbal agreement and the two had shaken hands on it. But he didn't know the man smoked cigars...

Not that it was entirely something he couldn't deal with. He had been to cigar laden parties the senior partners threw and there had been some pretty nice business contacts he had made. But it was mainly just the sort of thing he normally would have considered a sacrifice in the name of getting ahead. He himself had never smoked anything and he didn't plan on starting. He wanted to tell Buck to put it out but he didn't. That would just be rude, and they were talking a considerable time before the two departed. Buck would come by the next day and check out the house.

The next day, James woke with a strange desire for pancakes and sausage. He tried to shun real meat in favor of soy meat but he was now craving bacon and eggs and made a stop that morning to Denny's rather than wolf down a quick bran cereal. He called Buck after work and told him he could pick the man up at his hotel because the house itself was rather hard to find. It was in a backwoods area and that was another reason James liked it. It was out of the way. The property had neighbors but there were distant enough away so that they were not really considered a suburb. There were big fields and some forest. It was perfect for the kind of man James was, and who knows, maybe this way he could bring men by in the future without having to worry about being seen. Before he had lived in a crowded apartment building and saved up his hard earned dollars. Now he was reaping the rewards.

At the motel Buck was smoking his trademark cigar, and James remembered that he had never actually commented that he disliked the smell at all. Buck got in the car and James repressed the need to ask him to put it out. He just wanted to get off on the right foot with this guy.

"Afternoon, boss." Buck said gruffly. Buck said everything rather gruffly. His voice was deep and there was nothing effeminate about him. James passingly wondered if he was gay, a bear maybe but even if he was it was better that James not even know. He didn't want to go down that road if this guy was going to be living with him. Besides which, Buck's pickup truck (of course he owned one of those) was in the repair shop and he would need a ride and James willingly volunteered.

James stopped for pizza, knowing that he would not have time for dinner later. He normally had such a healthy diet, and lived mainly off of the co-op, eating lots of salads, vegetable platters, and eating out of the vegan/vegetarian deli, but he had a guest and had to just start off with something that they could both enjoy and he liked the occasional pizza. Buck asked for extra meat on his side. James covered it even though Buck offered to pay half.

At the house, they ate and talked, and then talked shop. The faint trace of Buck's aromatic cigar clung to the man, a spicy woodsy smell that James was getting more accustomed to, but he liked it in sparing amounts rather than copious. Buck and he went over every room, and what needed what. This needed to be knocked out and this bathroom was in terrible shape. This definitely needed to be repainted.

"Are those words?" Buck asked, squinting at the strange big remnants that had been scrubbed off.

"Yeah. They are on the ceiling, too. They didn't even get scrubbed off."

"What the fuck language is that, Spanish?"

James frowned. "No, I think it's Latin and some of it I have no idea. The people who lived here before were witches."

"No shit."

"Yeah, but Wiccans are just crazy, they don't do anything like in the movies."

"So we can paint the ceiling. There's damage all over this room, though. Some of this part of the wall looks like it was burned."

"I didn't even see that." James said and walked over to bend down and examine it.

"Not too far deep." They walked throughout the house more. It was a really spacious house and James was very glad of the price. James wanted a new fireplace mantle, and new flooring for the living and dining rooms. As for the kitchen, that would require a lot of effort but it was a lot of space. They came up together with several ideas.

James drove Buck back to the motel so he could check out and bring his things. The man didn't have that much and James felt sorry for him. The man's house had been repossessed in the real estate crash. After an exhausting night, James showed Buck to his small guest room with a bed that was small but big enough and the two man shook hands goodnight.

The next morning was Saturday and James woke up with a strange feeling. Fleeing dreams he couldn't remember. Something about the witches of the house being real and this house being in their family for decades. The house had been built in 1915 so it was a real find, being in such good condition. James still couldn't believe how low the price was.

James made up some coffee and went back to his room and started jacking off, thinking of Buck the night before and being in such close proximity. He didn't even know what had come over him, but soon he had cum all over him! His penis seemed exhausted after just one splooge and he noticed it looked smaller. Was it always this small? Seemed odd. James got up when he heard music coming from the other side of the house. Country music. Of course. Buck had started early, which he liked, and was putting up some sheets and getting tools ready and other supplies.

"Hey, man. You sleep well?"

"Yeah. Had some strange dreams."

"Heh. Me too. Comes with sleeping someplace new I guess. 

 "Hey, do you think you could turn down the honkytonk? I have some work I need to get done today...so..."

"Yeah. Actually, I need to get my pickup truck today. Should be fixed by now."

"Uh...I can drive you down. I forgot about that. Say in about an hour?"

"Sounds good, boss." Buck smiled and wagged his eyebrows. James shrugged off sleep and an hour later they took off. One hour later they were in a shop surrounded by a junkyard with two big bearded men who were just as grizzled looking as Buck. Their names were Mack and Stan. They were burly and if they were gay, which James very much doubted they would definitely be classified as bears. They talked about cars and trucks and parts and James eyes glazed over. He wanted to leave but he didn't want to be rude.

"So you see the game last night, man?" Stan asked him.

"Huh? Oh no I don't really know anything about sports."

He thought about what it would be like to have sex with them and banished the thought away. He was mainly into lean men, younger guys and professionals.The three men got on real well and they offered Buck and James a beer each.

"Oh, no thanks. I can't. I'm driving."

"So am I but one beer won't kill ya, right?" Buck winked. "You should see this house of this guys, it's real fuckin' huge. Real nice. Lots of work there."

"How long you gonna be working on this project?"

"Probably a couple of months, depending on how much the boss here needs to have me do. But it's a pretty nice piece of house. Wouldn't mind living there for a few years myself." The three men laughed.

James frowned. 

Buck had to go to the Home Depot and start getting supplies. James gave him a card he had purchased for the store specifically and the two went their separate ways. James came back home and tried to go through economic forecasts but his heart just wasn't into it. He wandered about the house and walked past Buck's room. Buck shouldn't be home for quite some time yet. He had called and said he needed to pick up some donuts and asked James if he wanted any. He had politely refused. Did Buck honestly think he looked the way he did by eating donuts?? He opened the door and stepped into the older man's room. There was a musky smell of cologne. Already the room smelled more manly than any of James'. He wondered what cologne the man used. It was so intoxicating in here. He looked at some of the man's belongings. Trucker boots. Jeans. Lots of them. No dress clothes. Garth Brooks Greatest Hits on CD.

I shouldn't be in here, he thought. I shouldn't! It's wrong! What if he caught me? But then, I have to make sure this guy doesn't have anything screwy. It's just because...oh god. A pair of underwear, filled with cum stains. And a jock strap. Before he knew what he was doing, James lifted the boxer shorts slowly up in the air and then inhaled deeply and his dick, which felt too small for some strange reason, got immediately hard. He took the jock strap and felt the luxurious fabric of it, and there was a bunch of dried cum in there. He couldn't stop himself. He put in the jock strap and started stroking himself while sniffing the boxer shorts and he was so fucking hard he could only think of what it would be like if he were bigger and more masculine and more confident. He pictured himself with facial hair. He was and always had been jealous of any man that could grow facial hair as he never could.

He came inside the jock strap and it was one of the best orgasms he ever had. He pivoted until he was literally shooting cum all over the floor. He rushed to get paper towels and wiped down the cum with cleaning spray and then he heard Buck's truck hitting the gravel of the driveway. Shit! He was still wearing the jock strap! He took paper towels and got as much of his cum out as he could and then put it and the boxer shorts back in as close to the same position as he found them, closed the door, and then ran back to his room.

The next day, Buck left things all over the house. Tools everywhere had to be expected but something told James that Buck's style was different from his own. He had a very easy going nature and James liked to be neat, everything in its place.

Except for someone else's underwear, he reminded himself guiltily.

Buck invited him to go to a country western bar in town so he could introduce James to his friends. James declined at first but then after a while he relented. Buck was very relentless and charming in his own way. "Come on, boss. Let me introduce you to people. Get some fresh air. You said yourself you never get out because you always work and you're not from this area. Do you have any friends here?"

"Not really, not any that are in this area. I haven't had time."

"It'll be fun, I promise."

Getting there James immediately knew it wasn't his kind of thing, but he clamped his mouth shut. He let Buck get excited and he introduced him to several busty middle aged divorcees and everyone knew he stood out, as he was the only one in a dress shirt.

"We need to get some studs on your shirt," many joked. All the guys were mainly tall, gorgeous, strong, and wore cowboy hats. James felt so out of place but mainly listened to other people's conversations. Suddenly one woman perked up when they mentioned the house.

"You bought the Witch House?"

"It's not like there's anything wrong with it." James laughed.

"Well all I'll say is you're brave, cause you couldn't pay me to live there."

"Oh now, it's not like that. Nothin' wrong with that house." Buck chimed in and put a big meaty hand on James' shoulder. "This guy here is strong enough for any witch magic. Ain't that right, boss?"

"Yes, I think we'll be okay. Just out of curiosity, how many people know about this?"

"Just the ones that know better than to go where a house belonged to witches for a hundred years. Course, it originally belonged to witches and then had different owners. The new witches had nothing to do with the OLD witches. Back round the turn of the century where was a MUCH different story what went down there."

"What do you mean?"

"Lots of rumors, mainly," said the woman, named Darlene. "People disappeared. Sometimes people disappeared and their families would say they never existed. Some would remember and some wouldn't. Like most of the town would get amnesia. Strange things happen in that house."

"Didn't you used to make out near there, up on the mountain road?" another woman said, and everyone laughed, including Darlene.

"Yes, and so that's how I know."

"You don't know anything, stop scaring the guy."

"I gotta go to the bathroom, I'll be right back." James said. But when he turned around he walked no more than a few feet. The room was crowded and he tried to make his way through but walked straight into another, much much taller cowboy.

"Hey, watch where you're going, DIPSHIT!"

"Oh ohohoh-I I am so sorry."

"Yeah you should be, dumbass. Say you're SORRY. NOW."

James immediately wilted. "I'm sorry, man, look I don't want any trouble, okay?"

"Why, are you in trouble?"

"I-I don't understand."

"I said are you in trouble?"

"I...hope not?"

The big cowboy laughed. "Look at you, now look at me, you honestly think you have a shot with any woman here? Jesus, you're bout as cowboy as Richard Simmons." The man shoved James hard and walked past him while James nearly swerved into someone else until he caught his balance, all while making an ass out of himself. He hurried back to the table to get his jacket.

"I'm gonna leave early."

"Why didn't you stand up to that jackass?" Buck asked.

"Because he's enormous and I'm me."

"Well he still doesn't have the right to talk to you like that. Go over there and tell him you don't need to be talked to that way."

"Yeah, that's great for you but I don't feel like getting beat up. I think my boss might frown on me getting a black eye."

Buck shook his head as James left, utterly humiliated.

The week flew by after that. Buck apologized for the way James left, feeling responsible he didn't have a good time. James said it wasn't his fault. The two fell into a pattern. Buck started to eat out of the fridge quite a bit, eating things James had made to save for leftovers. It grated him but he had promised him fridge privileges as long as he contributed to buying food for the house. Which Buck did, but it was usually meat dishes. Which for some odd reason, James was craving lately. He was eating chicken and beef like crazy when it was normally a once in a while kind of thing for him. Buck continued to leave his things all over the house and when James tried to comment on it, Buck would just somehow talk his way out of things, and he had become an expert at getting James to see that it was nothing to be worried about, only later James would chastise himself for not standing up more for what he wanted.

Buck had started to take naps here and there and when James caught him upon getting home to see the larger man laying about, he always had an excuse for it. He always had an answer. James started to go to the gym every night in an effort of making a balance for his newfound diet.

The next weekend, Jimmy woke up and realized he had never gotten out of his dress shirt from the previous day. That was unlike him, usually he was so meticulous as to not crease his clothes in his sleep.

He rubbed his belly and noticed that he should probably go to the gym sometime this month and get his money's worth but he was so lazy this week it probably wouldn't even matter.

"Hey Jimmy!" Buck called. "You wanna watch the game with me today? It's the big one!"

"Yeah, let me just get some breakfast first." Jimmy answered. It felt somehow strange to hear his name this morning. But then he had been called Jimmy every since he could remember. He made a big plate of Spam all fried up with eggs and ketchup and wolfed it down. Shouldn't he try something healthier? Nah, forget about that. The game was on!

The next few hours were bachelor bliss. Jimmy drank a whole six bottles of beer on his own, and ate potato chips and other snacks and just watched two football teams demolish each other for his amusement.

Jimmy enjoyed lounging with Buck. If two people live together, they should spend at least some quality time together. He frowned. Didn't he used to have an office nameplate with "James" on it? The memory dwindled. He had been Jimmy for days now. No, not days. All his life? What is wrong with me?" he thought, and belched one of the loudest burps ever. They clinked beer bottles together. 

"Nice one, man!" Buck exclaimed.

"Thanks, I'm proud of that one."

When had he started to like sports? Was it last Tuesday? He had just told someone on Tuesday he didn't watch sports but then it was like he never said that and he remembered going out for sports in school quite a lot, even if he didn't always make the teams. He loved watching all the guys get all sweaty in their uniforms and he admired them for their ability to have both agility and endurance.

Another week went by and Jimmy asked Buck one day when he started smoking cigars. Buck often smoked outside but the smell lingered on the bigger man. It followed him and whereas at first it was off-putting, now it made Jimmy's mouth water for some reason, picturing the smell up close especially.

"Tried my first cigar when I was 14."

"Really? That young?

"Yeah but that was from my old man when our football team won. It was also a late birthday present. After that I got one on my birthday every year. He still sends me them."

"Oh, that sounds cool." Jimmy stared at Buck as his face changed to one of a mischievous smile.

"Why don't you try one, man? I'll teach you how if you want?"

"Me? I can't believe I'm saying this but...yeah I kind of do."

He didn't know what he was saying. He had hated cigars all his life and now he was more excited over trying it than almost anything he could ever remember doing.

Buck taught him a lot about lighting, cutting, storing, and how to smoke and before long, Jimmy was smoking like he had done it all his life.

"Wow. I've really been missing out. Holy shit."

"Yeah, man. I gotta tell you, you take to it like a natural."

Jimmy puffed and held the cigar in his mouth and it felt...so right. So much more then he could ever have dreamed.

"No reason why a grown man shouldn't be able to. Fuck, this is nice. You know what, smoke where you want, man."

"So you don't mind if I smoke in the house?"

"Long as you aren't painting at the same time. Geez, I've never had anything like this before."

The next morning, Jimmy woke and wondered where Bill was. Bill had been renovating the house for months and there was so much unfinished.

"Bill! Bill, where are you?!"

"I'm in here, boss."

"Bill, what have you done this week? Can we go over it? Because for the life of me I can't remember."

"Look, things have been very hectic so why don't we both just calm down. Let's go downtown. We'll take your car. I am gonna get you some pussy today, man."

"Oh uh. Look. I don't want to freak you out but there's no use pretending. I'm actually gay."

"Oh, really. Well that is interesting. I thought you might be but hey man, to each his own."

"Yeah, so...look, I am not trying to be a jerk but what did you do this week? I remember hanging out with you a lot and...geez this place is a mess." Jimmy noticed all of a sudden that Buck's stuff was everywhere and he hadn't cleaned up the kitchen in what looked like a week. Dishes filled the sink. Pizza boxes lay stacked on the counters. He walked into other rooms and saw a lot of clothing everywhere. Paint cans not covered. Tools just everywhere in random places. Paint chips and flakes all over the carpet and couch when there should be something covering them.

"Look at all this, Bill."

"Yeah, man I know. But you know what, everyone works in their own way. Now look, I'm gonna be bringing a woman home tonight so I'd like a little privacy. Is that okay?"

"Sure. I mean...look, Bill."

"Don't worry, everything is alright. I'm not mad at you at all."

"Oh, good. I'm glad." Jimmy felt relieved.

"Look, man. Why don't you let me do my thing and you do yours and then tonight we'll go to a bar and have a drink, mano a mano. Then I'll come home with my woman like planned."

"Sure thing. Sounds fun."

The day raced by. Jimmy tried to get all of the economics into his head but he was so frustrated. He should be feeling angrier not complacent. He should be telling Bill that he was angry. Wait, was his name always Bill? Wasn't it Buck or Chuck or something? Wait, no...a few days ago he remembered calling for a Buck. Who was Buck? He sat in confusion for some time before going online and jerking it to porn for a few hours.

Night rolled round and he hadn't gotten anything done. He drove Bill to the saloon that he had raved about and it was dusty and dim inside the smoky room. They sat and drank a beer and then Bill introduced him to Laverne, who was his new friend. They all drove home together and Jimmy didn't even remember that much of it. He was the designated driver so he didn't have much beer but he still felt like something was just wiping his memory of the day away and a lot of this week for that matter. The last few weeks! What was happening?

They got inside and Bill started showing Laverne around and telling her about all the renovation he was doing.

"Oh my gosh, this place is awesome. Your house is so beautiful!"

"Thank you," Bill said proudly.

Wait, was Bill masquerading as the house owner? Bill winked at Jimmy so Jimmy just went along with it. This whole thing was surreal. Bill showed Laverne all the work that Jimmy was doing. What? Well of course that makes sense. If he's pretending to be the house owner I guess I have to pretend to be the contractor, he thought.

"Yeah, I've been doing a lot of work on this place. I'm very proud of it." He looked to Bill for approval and Bill gave him a nod and smile back.

"Well if you'll excuse us, we need to retire to the master bedroom. Come, my dear."

"Oh I just LOVE it when you talk fancy!" Laverne said and Jimmy thought amused that she and Bill made a cute couple. But wait, they were taking my room, he thought. We didn't even talk about this.

But then the door to his room slammed shut and all he could hear was Laverne laughing and gasping and Bill heaving and yelling soon, at the top of his lungs.

Bill liked to scream during sex. He had told Jimmy that when he hired him. Don't mind me when I'm screwing some broad, cause I like to have it loud and I don't care what anyone fucking thinks.

Jimmy got himself a beer and a cigar and went into his guest room, which was not nearly as nice as Jimmy's ro-Buck's ro-BILL. Bill's room. Bill's room was so nice. His was still under renovation and barely had anything in it. But it was a roof over his head.

Jimmy scratched at his stubble. Goddamn he was always so scruffy and hairy (like always) but goddamn was this ever so relaxing. He pawed and rubbed his small penis and started masturbating thinking of Bill screwing some girl and pictured himself as the girl, squealing and laughing in delight as Bill had his way with him...and before he went to bed he wondered how strange it felt and how happy he was. Maybe he could talk his boss at the firm into letting him come in dressed in a wife beater instead of a suit. It was so goddamn hot all the damn time this summer. A real man needed to sweat! He thought of himself at his desk, enjoying a beer and a cigar and he thought of himself coming back home to paint the walls and install a new fireplace mantle, and redo all the woodwork and knock out the wall and reinstall new gutters...

The next morning, Bill donned one of his nice blue suits and Laverne marveled at his impressive figure.

"Sorry, babe. Got a meeting early. I'll drop you off at your work at the restaurant on the way."

"Thanks, babe. Damn, you are a hot piece of ass."

"Don't I know it. Everyone knows that Bill Parsons is one of the most fuckable members of the firm. Now give me some sugar." He kissed her. "I'll leave a note for the help to get some supplies today. He's a good man. I'm glad I found him."

"It must be nice to be in charge."

"Well I'm not entirely...but I will be." Bill said confidently. He kissed her one more time and swatted her ass and wrote a note for Jimmy and then took the SUV and not the pickup truck out of the driveway to go downtown.


To Be Continued